White Knight, Mad King
by AeroZalen
Summary: Instead of using the Shiki Fuin, Minato is forced to make a deal with the Dark One to save Konoha. The cost: his son. Watch as Naruto is raised by Rumpelstiltskin as his son, and wins the hearts of many, all while showing that sometimes the light and darkness are meant to coexist.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys, it's me, Aero! So, if you're wondering what this is, it my response to your guy's requests. I've received several PMs, as well as a few reviews and my friends IRL, all asking if I considered doing a spin-off to FatH. At first I was wary of the idea, but I eventually got an idea for a similar story. While not really a 'spin-off' like you requested, it is another idea I had for an OUAT X-over. The pairing will be Regina/Naruto, so if you don't like it, don't read it. If I get a good enough response by then, I'll start writing it along with my other stories.**

**New Deal**

**"****SHIKI FUIN!"** Minato yelled as he finished the last hand seal, the massive Kyuubi freezing at the words as it began to look around in minor fear. As vicious and powerful as it may be, the demon chakra fox still had a soul that could be sealed away for eternity.

However, both witnesses saw that the Shinigami didn't appear. For the demon fox, this was the best news he'd ever had, but for Minato, he felt his heart drop. This was supposed to be it, his secret weapon against the Kyuubi.

"I-I don't understand. I did all the research before writing this seal down, it should've worked. Why didn't it work?" Minato wondered aloud, and due to his inner turmoil, he didn't see the giant tail swinging right at him until it was too late to dodge; the blonde was thrown across the clearing into a stone that sent his head spiraling, and his vision flickering like a defective light bulb.

"Hahaha, it figures that you meat sacks couldn't even die properly. As if the mighty God of Death himself would come that simply, just because you made some flashy seals. Well, I'll tell you what, Minato Namikaze, I'll give you a one-way ticket straight to the big man himself so you can ask him what happened here tonight!" Kyuubi roared, charging up a large black ball of energy in his maw.

"If the Shiki Fuin didn't work, then what can I do to stop him. I can't think of another seal strong enough to hold him at full power. The Eight-Point Seal could hold the Kyuubi back at half-power, but then Naruto could never learn to use the Kyuubi's power. Besides, I needed the Shiki Fuin to seal the other half into myself so the Shinigami could take us both." Minato said; pushing himself to his feet as he pulled out a tri-pronged kunai, a wooden handle with some kanji carved in gripped tightly in his hand.

"All the same, it doesn't matter now. All I can do is hold him off long enough for the village to evacuate." He made a quick set of hand seals as a small toad with black and yellow markings appeared beside him. "Gamarai, run to the Jiriya-sensei. Tell him the seal didn't work, and he needs to evacuate the village as quickly as possible!" Minato ordered, and despite the commanding tone, the toad didn't move at all as he looked at his partner with confusion evident in his tiny eyes.

"But Minato, what are you going to do?" Gamarai asked, already fearing the answer he knew was coming.

"I'm going to save my son." Minato said, his tone leaving no room for argument as Gamarai nodded slightly, turning away as he disappeared in a flash of yellow, mirroring Minato's exact movement simultaneously as the Fourth Hokage appeared beside Naruto, vulnerable, in his crib.

Grabbing the tiny blonde boy, Minato teleported away as quickly as possible, trying desperately to outstrip the Kyuubi who was charging up an attack behind him. It would seem Kyuubi's anger towards Minato and his family outweighed his rage for Konoha.

Minato was forced to continually teleport out of the way of tails swings, paw swipes, and interspersed Bijudamas as he fled with his newborn son in tow. He must have covered several miles before finally coming to a stop.

"If only there was something, anything I could try. I'd give anything to stop this monster." Minato despaired frantically as he spotted his home village in the distance. At the center, the Hokage Tower, and his office stood above the rest of the village.

"It doesn't matter what tricks you have up your sleeves Minato, or where you try to hide, I will find you, and KILL YOU!" Kyuubi roared, tensing up his legs as he started to run towards the village, only for large chains to wrap around him, restraining him from going any further.

"What trick is this Minato!? I thought I just told you it was useless to try and hold me!" Kyuubi yelled, only to hear a pitiful, racking cough/laugh just ahead. His eyes drifted downwards to spot the source of both the sound and the chains, one mortally wounded Kushina Uzumaki.

"I guess it's a good thing that I'm so stubborn then, isn't it." Kushina gasped out, crouching on top of a tree which blew in the intense winds as Kyuubi roared, trying with all his power to get to the redhead and kill her. "I don't know what plan Minato has, but I'll give him all the time he needs because, I'll die to protect my family." Kushina hissed out, her breaths starting to come faster and faster, and getting more ragged all the while.

"Stupid human, you might have been spared had you ran and hid like the rest of your kind. But no, you had to 'die' to 'save' your family. BAH!" Kyuubi said, gripping the ground tightly as his muscles pushed outwards, the chains buckling against his strength as Kushina sighed, her chakra totally drained as she was left defenseless against the Kyuubi.

"I don't really do demons, but I can't refuse a good deal. Of course, magic does come at a price." A giddy voice echoed from the woods around Minato, who held Naruto closer to his chest.

"Who's there, come out." Minato ordered, looking in every direction for the owner of the voice.

"Oh, don't worry. I'm not going to kill you if that's what you're worried about. You did offer anything to stop the fur ball, right?" The voice said, Minato whirling around to find a man leaning against a tree clad in leather with a manic grin on his face. In fact, his skin looked almost scaly.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Minato said, pulling out a kunai to defend Naruto and himself with.

"I said don't worry about it. But if you must know, I am the answer to your problems. I stop the demon, you pay the price." The man said, and Minato lowered his weapon, looking the man over.

"If you can really stop it, I'll give you my life as payment. My head is worth several million." Minato offered, and the giddy way the man giggled sent a shiver down his spine.

"Oh, I can stop it. But I'm not after money, no, what I want is something far more treasured than your life. Say, that boy in your arms perhaps." Hearing him up close, the man reminded Minato of Orochimaru.

"No, I refuse to let you touch a hair on his head." Minato said, jumping back, Naruto still held tightly to his chest. Had Minato's mind been elsewhere, he would've noticed that the Kyuubi's roars had stopped.

"But, isn't that what you had planned anyway. For you to die, leaving your son to be treated like a pariah for his life. Trust me, being a pariah isn't that fun. Simply sign on the dotted line and all your troubles will be gone." The man said, producing a yellowed scroll from nowhere, which he rolled down his back for Minato to sign.

**Contract**

Not even reading the rest of the scroll, Minato heard the roar of the Kyuubi directly overhead. Not having any time to question it, he pulled an inked brush across the dotted line, the flowing script of his name glowing red for a second before the contract rolled back up, the man placing it into his jacket.

"The deal is struck." He called out, and with a snap of his fingers, Naruto appeared in his arms. "And so the little tyke doesn't get lonesome." A small stuffed fox joined Naruto, nine fluffy tails behind it, frozen in time.

Then, the man turned around, vanishing in a swirl of black smoke which disappeared with him. Minato looked around in vain to locate his taken son. Surely, the man didn't expect a ninja to keep his word. But try as he might, he couldn't find hide or hair of Naruto or the mysterious stranger with whom he'd made a deal.

A deal with the devil, he amended.

Meanwhile, in a castle far, far away, a man appeared in a swirl of smoke, carrying a small blonde child who was sleeping peacefully. Clutched tightly in the child's arms was a stuffed Kyuubi, the coal black eyes free of the malice the demon had in life.

"Hmm, I can't believe it. What is it with people that they'll sign away their children to fix their problems? I would never do that to Bae." The man said, staring at the tiny child in his arms. What had he been thinking when he asked for the baby, it wasn't like he could care for a newborn all alone, he could barely care for his one son Baelfire.

Speaking of the Dark One's son, he walked into the room right then, covered in dirt. "Hey Dad, I was kinda playing with Kai in woods, and tripped and fell in a mud puddle. Think you could help me out?" Baelfire asked, his father simply waving his hand as the filth vanished.

"Thanks Dad, love you." Bae said; running back outside.

"Dad huh, I suppose it couldn't hurt anything to watch the little guy. If it comes down to it, I'll just leave him at the orphanage in town. Now then, what to call you." He thought aloud, looking at the blonde child who twisted in his grip, the sunlight washing over his sun kissed hair.

"Gold, huh, I like it. You are now Gold Uzumaki." He said confidently, only for the child to begin crying. "Naruto Gold."

"Coo." Baby Naruto burbled out, squeezing his toy tightly.

"Much better."

**A/N: So guys, what did you think. It's a work in progress, but I think I can make it work.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So, I may have promised I would make this story, but things have arisen. Unlike with other stories, I don't have a specific plot to go by. So, it may be a bit hit and miss with the timeline, but I'm going to try my best to do this proper time-style. Also, I have a question for you guys, so do try and review with said answer.**

**-When we transfer to the modern world, I have one of two destinations for Naruto to arrive planned.**

**A)****With Emma, like with my other story.**

**B)****At the start of Season 2.**

**Let me know what you guys think. Personally, I prefer B, just for some variance, but I leave it in your hands guys.**

**Name the Price**

Naruto groaned as he topped yet another hill, his father already climbing the next one with no problems, although he also was aided by a more mature body and magic. It filled Naruto with a growing longing for those things.

However, I still had years to go until he was ready to learn magic, although his father had promised to teach him once he was older. Older apparently had a different meaning to the magic-wielding man than to his son, considering Naruto always argued that he _was _older than last time he asked.

On some level, Naruto felt that he should feel betrayed, tricked by his father's promise, but he didn't care. When B had tried to drag him through that creepy portal, Naruto hadn't wanted to go. Sure he loved his brother, but he loved his father too, and his father had promised him the world if he stayed with him. All he asked for was magic. It seemed like a better deal than jumping through a portal into some unknown land, teeming with adventure.

Naruto was not the adventurous type, but he was very certain of his path in life. He could recall with perfect clarity all the times his father had demonstrated his magic, and the all-encompassing joy that took over Naruto as he copied his father's hand flourishes, although nothing ever came of them.

And so the pair, Rumplestiltskin and Naruto Gold had left their home, the tiny hut holding too many painful memories, with not a gold piece to their name. They had brought only the essentials, along with a few personal treasures, such as Baelfire's traveling shawl, Rumple's old cane and dagger, and Naruto's stuffed fox toy which had become akin to a security blanket over the years.

Shaking his head free of the cloying memories, he rushed after his father, his tiny pack bouncing safely against his back. Looking up, his father had paused at the peak of the next hill, looking back at him as he raced down the hill and up the other side, having to jump over several potholes and protruding boulders that no doubt limited carriage travel down this road.

"Keep up son; I don't want to lose you." Rumple said in this gleeful voice, as if losing Naruto was his exact reason for going ahead. Naruto didn't think that though, he knew his father loved him dearly.

"Sorry father, but if you'd teach me magic, you wouldn't have to worry about losing me." Naruto said childishly, and his father chuckled at his ability to turn any situation into a bargain. He had taught him well.

"We'll discuss it when we reach our destination. It's not much further, son." The Dark One spoke, Naruto sighing as they topped yet another hill, the repetitive nature of their journey eating away at his childish patience.

They had gone on a grand adventure to find their place to live, so where was all the exotic scenery, and traveling caravans? It filled the small blonde with a sense of depression, which his father picked up on, looking at his traveling companion with confusion.

"Something the matter, Ruto?" The questioned boy sighed, throwing his arms outwards, gesturing to the world.

"It's so boring. Just one hill after another, with nothing to look at other than trees. There aren't even any animals to entertain me!" He complained, and Rumple looked at him as he tried to think of a solution. Failing to find an alternative, he turned back to his tried-and-true answer: magic.

With a single hand flourish, the green tress were painted in the vibrancy of autumn, the glistering golds, the sunset oranges, the vermillion reds, and rusty browns. A second flourish sent a myriad of the leaves swirling around, fluttering down to ghost over their skin. Looking at his son expecting glee, Rumple was taken aback by his son's downtrodden look.

"Is there no place that is beautiful without magic? Is there no natural brilliancy, like the masterful brushstrokes of a benevolent artist? Any attempt to emphasize the unseen beauty only serve to reveal just how truly flawed it is. If I am unable to notice such subtle splendor, then how can I hope to appreciate the natural beauty in all living things?" Naruto said, holding out his hand as a single leaf alighted upon it, Naruto looking at the radiance as the sun caught its contours perfectly, painting Naruto's body blood-red. Then, with a simple sweeping motion, he swept the leaves aside and trod onwards towards his new home.

Rumple looked after his son, wondering what had happened to the childish blonde he knew, who complained when it rained, or bawled so loudly when he was hungry, at least at a younger age, although he still he had no issues informing Rumple when he would be fed. When had he turned into such an aesthete?

It was several hours later when Rumple stopped in a large clearing looking around before smiling in his manic way, deeming the place worthy of his goal.

"We've made it, son, this will be our new home." He said, turning back to Naruto who was leaning against a tree, his pack set aside as he rested in the shade. Hearing his father's proclamation, he sighed with a tone of finality.

Seeing that Naruto approved of his choice, Rumple began the task of assembling their new home, which began to take shape into a magnificent castle. Once the framework was done, he entered the vast, empty building, looking around as if deciding which rooms would go where.

"I call the north-west tower." Naruto declared as he carried his meager belongings over to the aforementioned corner, sitting down as the tower took shape around him, lifting him up as boards rose, hoisted up by stones stacking atop one another.

It took nearly half the day for Rumplestiltskin to put the finishing touches on his castle, Naruto caring little for the other rooms of the castle after his tower was done, although he was pleased to note that a grand library had been raised near him, although his father's dungeons were located athwart to his room. He even had a small kitchenette connected to his room, which would probably get more use than the main dining hall.

Deciding to test out the bed, he quickly fell into a dreamless sleep.

**A/N: Sup guys, this is a rather short chapter, but it mainly covered all the points I wanted it to. At this point in time, I'm having the most trouble working with everyone's relative ages. Next chapter which feature a major time skip, as well as my personal favorite pairing in OUaT, along with a rather unique arc that isn't in canon.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sup gays, I have some announcements to make about this story. At this point in time, I'm not following a set timeline as it's difficult for me to tell which events fall when, so I'm going to be making some of my own. While mixing in 'actual' events of course. Now this chapter starts an individual arc of my making, so do try not to flame too hard 007. Finally, things will arise that you may not like, I would prefer you either learn to deal with the fact that this is my story and if I want your opinion, I'll ask, or you can go read a different story. This being said, I want your opinions. I've uploaded a poll to my profile asking when Naruto should arrive, I'll give you guys until I've uploaded Chapter Five so get your votes in soon.**

**Devil's Advocate**

_"__There are more books in here than I could read in a life time."_

_"__Well, I certainly hope you can dust faster than you can read, dearie."_

It had been a week since that day, and Belle was still working her way around the library, dusting off tomes. Truth be told, she probably could've gotten the job done faster if she didn't stop every ten to fifteen minutes to pull a book from its place, reading the cover, and occasionally the first few pages.

Hearing the telling tinkling of the bell, Belle replaced her current distraction, climbing down the rolling ladder as she straightened her dress, before hurrying to the central dining room, passing a closed door on her way.

She'd noticed it the first day she been allowed into the library, and started to open it, only to be told off, with specific instructions to _never_ go into that room. The curiosity was starting to eat away at her, what could the room contain, rare books, enough gold to provide for the kingdom for years, possibly even some dangerous creature.

Shaking her head, she chided herself. _"Those books are starting to get to me, seeing grandiose mysteries in the smallest things."_ Her shoes could been heard down the empty hallway as she turned, entering the nearly vacant dining room.

"You rang?" She said, seeing his gleeful look that usually promised misery for someone. On the long table in front of him was a single piece of paper, from her angle, she couldn't read it but judging from the quality of the paper, it looked expensive.

"Yes, we're going to be having a guest for dinner tonight, and I expect you to be on your best behavior. He's an important person, and I'm not going to lose the best servant I've had simply because she can't prepare a decent meal." Her overly happy master ordered, and she bowed slightly, turning for the kitchen.

"One other thing, he likes boysenberry pie." He swept his hand out; sending her away as he turned back to… whatever he did when not under scrutiny.

Belle held her tongue, boysenberries were out of season in the nearby villages, if she was being forced to prepare a pie with them, she'd have to travel quite a distance to get some, not mention drop a decent amount of gold for them. And would she ever receive any thanks or reparations for her troubles, doubtful. More than likely, she'd end up being forced to watch The Dark One blackmail yet another person into one of his lopsided deals. That or put poison in the pie, she could never tell when involving her employer.

Sighing, she strode to the door, grabbing her traveling cloak from a peg as she left to buy the needed ingredients.

Luckily for Belle, a traveling merchant was in town, and had some boysenberries, although she was strong-armed into giving him enough gold to build a market stand. But it meant she'd have some free time to read one of her books with the spare time; that was if she wasn't asked to perform more inane cleaning for The Dark One.

Once back in the strange comfort of the castle, she set to work in the kitchens, preparing dinner for her employer and his guest, who she didn't even know anything about save the fact that it was a male. For a few moments, she entertained the notion that he may be a visiting prince, or some royalty that would see the injustice and stand up to Rumplestiltskin, engaging a fanciful duel with said beast, vanquishing him atop the parapets of the castle, ending the Dark One's reign of evil terror.

She was brought out of her daydreams by the sound her the stew being brought to a rolling boil over the sweet smelling fire. Glancing out a window, she heard the tell-tale sound of that incessant bell. Surely it wasn't already time for dinner, she'd only been back an hour at most, and barely had anything made.

Yet as she turned back, food was covering every possible surface without intermingling among each other.

_"__Weird."_ Belle thought, before the bell's ringing caused her to jump slightly, hurrying to the dining table, carrying food. As she reached the open door, she stopped, catching her breath as she entered slowly, taking in the second occupant of the table.

He had wild blonde hair that looked like sunshine given form. He still had on his traveling cloak, which was midnight blue with crimson trim. She couldn't see his legs under the long table as she set the first course down, turning back to get the next course.

As she returned, the two were conversing, the blonde's elbows resting on the table, his fingers intertwined. On his right hand, he had two rings, one with a dark jewel embedded. He chuckled, a deep intonation, and she blushed, accidentally running into the table, sending a sharp pain down her leg.

The plate she was holding probably would've fallen if it hadn't vanished in a swirl of smoke, appearing on the table by Rumplestiltskin. He had the only other face he ever had, annoyance, which was glaring at her in full force.

"Good help is so hard to find now a days." He claimed; sighing as Belle fought down her rising indignation. But just as she opened her mouth to apologize, she felt a worn hand touch her side imploringly as she winced.

"Oh, don't be so harsh. The table takes up like half the room, and we both know I ran into it several times when I was younger." The blonde said from in front of her, his face in a cool smile, his electric blue eyes twinkling as he looked back to Rumple. Looking back at her, he pulled a chair out, gesturing for her to sit down. "Why don't you join us, dear? Help or not, you look hungry, and every meal is better in the presence of the fairer sex." She blushed a deeper shade of red, before glancing at her employer. This man was a guest and he was acting as if this was his castle; chances were the Dark One wouldn't stand for this.

Her judgment won out as she shook her head, turning back to the kitchen, rubbing her hip were a bruise would be later. "No, sir, I have to finish serving the meal. It's not proper to shirk my duties." She explained, only to be pulled back as she was forced into the chair this time, the blonde smiling genially.

"Well, if that's the problem, then I can solve that." With a sweeping motion of his hand, the table was covered by the numerous plates of food that had graced the kitchen moments earlier. "Now then, will you join us?"

She noticed for the first time that he had six marks, three to a cheek, which resembled whiskers; they seemed too cute for a grown man.

"They're birthmarks." He said, reading her expression as she blushed, before joining the two at the end of the table.

"Now then, where were we, oh yes? You were trying to convince me to stay over night here before heading out tomorrow." The blonde said, pulling his cloak out from under him before retaking his seat, a snap of his fingers filling his plate with food as he began eating in a dignified manner, despite his roguish appearance.

"Umm, if I could be permitted, who are you?" Belle asked, before realizing that both men were looking at her in confusion.

"You didn't tell her about me, I'm hurt." The blonde said, pouting at Rumple, who looked like he had a headache coming on.

"It's not her business, Naruto. She had her orders, and that's all that mattered." The man said, glaring at Belle through his eyelashes.

"Ahh, well we can't have uninformed help around here. I am Naruto, son of Rumplestiltskin, and considering the fact that you aren't dead yet, either my father has grown soft in his previous years, or he's taken a fancy with you."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello, I'm back with the next chapter of White Knight, continuing my special arc. Now, I'm going to mix this with flashbacks revealing canon events that happened in the missing years.**

**Grand Adventure**

_"__Ahh, well we can't have uninformed help around here. I am Naruto, son of Rumplestiltskin, and considering the fact that you aren't dead yet, either my father has grown soft in his previous years, or he's taken a fancy with you."_

Belle could hear the words echoing in her mind as she quickly glanced over to see him smiling as he took a sip of his goblet. Just the same, his father was choking on his drink at the words, an angry glare digging into Naruto's head as he ignored the glare, unaffected.

There weren't many people who could just shrug off the Dark One's peeved glare, but Naruto topped that list, having grown up with the man, knowing that no real malice was behind the glare. Belle, however, awaited her master to turn the blonde into a piece of cutlery or a bug, as he so frequently did, but it never came as he sighed, turning back to his food.

"Now, as I was saying, I'm leaving in the morning, preferably before the sun gets too high." Naruto said, slicing a piece of meat in a perfectly sectioned piece, placing it in his mouth as he sighed in contentment. "Delicious, I'd forgotten how utterly delightful something that isn't jerky tastes."

"Well, maybe if you came by more often, you wouldn't have that problem. All the same, must you leave so early, maybe wait a day or two; we could go and terrorize the local villages." Rumplestiltskin said, ignoring the food on his plate as Naruto not-so-stealthily reached over and scraped his food onto his plate as he sat back down, devouring the food happily. Rumple sighed.

"I wish I could too Father, but we both know I'm more at easy in the wilds than in a castle." Naruto explained as Belle demurely sipped the broth of the stew from her seat, quietly watching the interaction between the two.

"And we both know that's a lie, all things considered. But I suppose if you're so dead-set on leaving so soon, I won't stop you, just try to stop in more often. I… miss you sometimes, Ruto." The Dark One exclaimed, the last part under his breath due to present company.

"Thank you, now I believe someone mentioned boysenberry pie?" The room seemed brighter with Naruto's smile.

The next day, Naruto set out a dawn, just as planned, leaving a note behind for his father, although Naruto doubted he was asleep, probably brooding in his stately room overlooking the entrance. Strapped to a clasp on his pants was a sleek scabbard, his sword inside, the blade the color of a raven's wing with the hilt embossed with the insignia of the Queen's Guard. Hanging from the other side was a coin purse which jangled with every few steps, the gold inside setting the tone for his journey.

Barely an hour later, he stopped, turning back as he crossed his arms, his face the picture of royalty as he awaited the response.

"You going to follow me the whole way, or were you planning on announcing yourself?" He called out, a bush rustling as Belle looked out from behind a tree sheepishly.

"Sorry, but I've always wanted to go on an adventure, and this just seemed like the best time." She apologized, bowing at the waist, curtsying to him as he seemed conflicted, which he was.

"I should send you back to my father right now, he'll probably be furious that you've done this, but maybe since you came right back, he won't kill you." Naruto said, turning away from her as he heard her stand up, running up as she got in front of him.

"No, please, let me come with you, I can help you." She said emphatically, nodding her head as if to assure him of her usefulness.

"Somehow I doubt you would be of much use to me; I highly doubt you can use a weapon, and you don't appear to have brought any food or supplies with you." Naruto said, his tone biting into Belle's hopes.

"Well, I'm very well-read, and I'm sure you can use any information on where we're going." Belle said, as if trying to raise her own hopes rather than prove she wasn't useless.

"On that matter, I have little doubts, other than if you knew where we were going, you would know that no texts that you can find without risk to life and limb are very accurate, besides, my room adjoins my father's library, and I've read every tomes within those walls at least thrice." Naruto spoke, before looking at Belle with a mischievous light in his eyes. "So, unless there is some other _service_ you have to offer, we're heading back to my father." He said, shocking Belle.

The young woman was struck speechless by the crass nature of his question. Before she thought, she slapped him, wincing as her hand exploded in red hot pain, the brunette nursing it as she snarled at Naruto. "I would never degrade myself like that for some filthy pig!" However, her words didn't seem to bother Naruto, but rather had the opposite effect as he smiled.

"I can see why my father is so fetched with you, precious. Perhaps I shall bring you along, free of charge, but only if you promise to do as I say, or I'll send you straight back. Deal?" Naruto said, fully aware of what he was asking her as he stuck out his hand. Belle paused as she looked at it almost fearfully, aware of who he was and how his father operated.

"Fine, deal, but you better mind your tongue. I'm not some cheap whore!" She said indignantly as she strode passed him, the blonde smiling genially as he looked at his second ring, memories surfacing unbidden as he followed after Belle.

"Rumplesh… Stilts… Rumpleschtiltskin, I summon thee." A woman called out, looking around for the person to appear. Not seeing anyone, she sighed, only to jump as she heard someone behind her.

"That's not how you say it, dearie, but then again, you didn't need to say anything to get my attention." The man said, leaning on one hand as he smiled at her in a manic way that slightly unnerved the woman. She took an unconscious step back only to trip over a chair as she started to fall back. However, the impact of the wooden floor never came as she felt someone catch her.

"Dad, what have I told you about just appearing behind people. You're going to give someone a heart attack one of these days." A voice said, and as woman opened her eyes, she saw it was the man who had caught her.

"Yes, but that's the point, son. I have a reputation to uphold." The scaly one said, almost whiningly.

"What are you?" The woman said almost fearfully. From what she'd heard, The Dark One was a singular entity, yet two men had appeared when she's called. Somewhere inside of herself, she was hoping the blonde one was The Dark One.

"What? What? What? "The scaly one said, his tone getting steadily higher as he looked indignantly at her. "What a rude question. _I_ am not a what." He seemed to almost pout as the blonde one snickered.

"I don't think she thought you were a what dad, more like a which." More snickers as the woman smiled, holding in her laughter for fear of upsetting the Dark One who was mock glaring at her blonde savior, who helped her back to her feet finally.

"Sorry. I don't really know what I'm doing, especially seeing as I summoned two of you rather than the one I wanted." The woman apologized, bowing slightly in deference.

"That's okay, precious. I rarely know what I'm doing and I seem to be fine." The blonde one said, his electric blue eyes glimmering with some hidden mirth.

"Yes, well we both know that not true, Naruto." The scaly one said, sighing as he continued, "I suppose I should introduce myself. Rumplestiltskin, at your service." Rumplestiltskin said with a hand flourish.

"And I am-" The blonde one, Naruto, was cut off by a wave of Rumplestiltskin's hand.

"Annoying." Rumplestiltskin finished as Naruto glared at him.

"And you are Regina." Rumple gestured to the woman, who nodded hesitantly.

"You know me?" Regina asked, watching him as he smiled.

"But of course."

"Because of my mother, Cora. You taught her?" Regina asked, Rumple smiling in his knowing way as Naruto responded this time, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Great, you've stroked his ego. I was worried it wasn't big enough already." Naruto said, Rumple frowning at him before snapping his fingers as Naruto vanished in a plume of smoke, replaced with a small fox, which immediately bounded around, yipping loudly.

"People say I look like my mother when she was younger." Regina said; looking to the side as Naruto leapt on to her shoulder, his fluffy tail wrapping around her neck; his whiskers tickling her cheek as he looked smugly at Rumple.

"Really? I don't see it. But no, that's not how I know you." Rumple said; reaching over to grab Naruto from her shoulder as the fox skirted his grasp, making a noise that sounded like laughter.

"Oh, then how?" Regina said, watching the pair with caution, just in case she needed to get out of the way as Rumple continued trying to catch the fox that seemed to be as slippery as a fish.

"I knew you a long time ago, dearie. It's been some time, but I knew this day would come. I've been waiting on it, and I'm so happy we're back where we belong." He said as he swung at the fox, who leapt over t eh swing, running down his arm as he hit him in the face with his tail. Rumple sputtered, trying to remove the fur from his mouth.

"Where's that?" Regina asked hesitantly as the other occupants of the room froze, looking at her with identical grins.

"Together." They seemed to say.

**A/N: So guys, the poll is going great, although I've received a few reviews asking for a longer chapter length. The chapters will get longer once I lay down the ground work, so I have a new question for you guys. After this arc, do you want me to jump to Storybrooke, or slowly work up to it? And should I use lemons in this story?  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm working through some things right now, like the fact that my computer is on the fritz, making this difficult so chapters are going to be a bit short a little while until I can get a new computer, or fix the problem.**

**Let's Play a Game**

Naruto walked along behind Belle, watching her carefully as she looked in awe at the surroundings. He couldn't blame her; especially since their destination was considered one of the Forest's premier honeymoon locations. The problem arose in the country itself.

"Hey Belle, I think you may need to know something before I let you keep going. It occurred to me that you may not know where we're headed, and the country's ruling body's views." Naruto said with a straight face, stopping Belle as she looked at him in confusion.

"What do you mean; we're leaving the Enchanted forest?" She asked equal parts excited and scared. It wasn't every day that one got to leave the country on an adventure, and save her sole trip to Arrendale, Belle wasn't familiar with any of the neighboring countries.

"Yes, but if you insist on going, you have to follow the laws, or you could face serious punishment, understand?" Naruto said, getting in front of her this time as he reached into his bag which he summoned in a small swirl of orange smoke.

After several moments of rummaging around, he pulled out his desired object a she tossed it to her, and she looked between it and him, glaring heavily at him as she held a dog collar in her hands. "You better not be telling me what I think you are?" She growled, and Naruto shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"Where we're going, you will need to wear that collar at all times." He replied, continuing on as she raced after his longer stride. Finally, she caught up with him as she hurled the collar at him, only for it to vanish in a plume of smoke and reappear in her hands.

"I'm a knowledgeable woman, not a-" She started, only to be stopped at Naruto's skeptical look. He paused to look at her as she looked infuriately off to the side; unable to meet his stern gaze that had came from his years of service.

"Not what, a slave? Because I can say, that's what my father thinks of you as, a dog, a slave, a piece of property to be bought, sold, and traded whenever your possessor pleases. And regardless of your personal views, you will wear this collar unless you want to go back to the castle." He said irritably, he was in a rush to get to the coast, or they'd miss their ship.

"I said I wasn't going to degrade myself, and I'm sticking to my words!" Belle shouted as Naruto sighed, snapping his fingers as a slice of pie appeared on a small platter, accompanied by a fork as he cut into it, consuming the pie with a silent relief.

"Now that I'm calm, I'll explain the laws of this country I'm headed for. Women of any social class are viewed as property, slaves to the men's desires. As such, they are forced to wear collars such as the one I've given you. If a female is caught without a collar, she is considered a free piece to take. To summarize, if you don't wear that collar, any person on the street could walk up and claim you as his property, and the chances of the nobility grabbing a girl off the street are about as good as my father releasing you from your deal." Naruto said in a deadpan voice.

"That's barbaric. I'm sure some stupid chauvinistic male pig came up with that law!" Belle cried out, throwing her hands up in disbelief.

"We're not arguing that point, because we share the same views. The differing views lie in our tolerance for such laws. As it doesn't affect me directly, I find it much easier to ignore, but that is why I felt the need to inform you. Would you rather I have waited until we landed, when you had no choice? Although, there is another option, but it is much worse in comparison." He cautioned, watching her as she considered it.

"What is this other option? I can't imagine much worse than being treated like a _thing_." Belle decided, Naruto sighing as he took the collar back, banishing it in a puff of smoke.

"I can turn you into a man, magically, but…" Naruto trailed off, glancing to the side as a shrub rustled, revealing a frightened squirrel.

"And this would be a worse problem how?" Belle asked; sounding almost scared at his possible response. If there was one thing she'd learned so far, it was that Naruto typically didn't share what could go wrong unless questioned.

"Because if women are viewed as property, then men are viewed as masters in society. In order for you to pass as a male, you would have to act the part, mistreating women should the occasion arise. I have years of experience in avoiding such situations, and when I am forced into it, I can be very _persuasive_." Naruto said with an almost fiendish grin.

"Can you give me a for instance?" Belle asked, suddenly worried about her options. None of them set very well with her: if she went back to the castle, a beating or some other form of punishment was certain, if she went with Naruto, she'd either have to act the part of a slave, or an abusive pig.

"You never refer to females by name, usually by number or a crude nickname. If a man offers his 'toy' to you for a night, you don't outright refuse; you simply thank him and crudely decline, traditionally with an excuse of having a higher quality toy. Also, the second most important rule to remember, **_never_** say that you have to piss or anything of the like, I'll leave the reason to your imagination." Naruto said with a disgusted face, giving a small shiver as Belle looked at him in utter disgust, feeling dirty listening to him. Then, a thought occurred to her.

"You said that was the second most important, I'm going to regret this, but what's the first?" She asked, Naruto looking at her with saddened eyes.

"If a female touches you without permission, you **will **physically punish her, and then if she's 'lucky' she won't be left nude in a public forum to be used however. The lucky ones get executed, usually by decapitation. Or every few in a thousand will be forgiven and traded to the one touched." Naruto said, and Belle gasped, tears starting to roll down her cheeks as Naruto appeared at her side, clutching her as she cried.

"Do you see now, it takes a truly despicable, twisted kind of soul to follow the laws where we're going, and something tells me you don't have it in you to do those kind of things. However, if you wear the collar, all you have to do is say nothing, and trust me to not misuse that trust. Can you do that, dear bookworm?" He said, and she laughed a garbled laugh at his nickname for her.

"Well, well, lookie here boys, I tolds ya we'd find sumptin if we just had some pa-pash- pashus- ahh, ya know what I mean." A voice called out, Naruto's eyes snapping to the side as he saw three men come out of the shadows of the forest.

"Yeah, Strewt, and he looks like he might give ya some fun." A second one said. Turning slightly, Naruto could see the one speaking looked like his head had been used to clean out a stewpot.

"It's Stewart, you half-pint. And I was talking 'bout that'n with the tits. She looks like a screamer, and I bet dis little shi' ball can't even last ten seconds in 'er." The first one said, and when Naruto spotted him, his heart gave a small leap. It was Stewart Regal, a wanted traitor. He'd betrayed his platoon to a gang of rogues for some gold, and then afterwards took over the gang, leading them on raiding parties across the land, leaving a trail of murder, rape, and burnt houses in his wake.

"Seconds, is that the really short one?" A third voice said, and Naruto couldn't see him without turning fully around, and he wanted to keep the element of surprise on his side.

"No, that's you, Shorty. Now stop arguin' and tie 'em up." Stewart said, the greasy one groaning as he approached Naruto. He quickly looked back at Belle to see her looking fearfully at him, he pressed a finger to her lips, shushing her as he suddenly leapt up, pulling a knife from a hidden sheath inside his cloak, sinking it into Shorty's neck, kicking him off as his face showed the surprise.

Before either of the other two could react, Naruto flung his knife at the unknown one, the blade catching him in the shoulder as he stumbled back, clutching the bleeding wound as he pulled it out, tossing it to the side before charging Naruto, who pulled his sword free of its scabbard, relishing in one of his favorite sounds, the slither of steel on steel.

The man, who looked barely old enough to be considered a man, came in from Naruto's right shoulder, heavily favoring his uninjured side. With nary a sound, Naruto crossed their blades, using his surprising upper body strength to shove the boy-man back, swinging his sword low as it bit into the twice injured man's upper thigh, sending him to the ground as Naruto flicked hiss word, scattering crimson liquid of the ground.

Turning to the last one, his real target, he found him with a knife to Belle's throat. He had a vicious grin on his face as he looked contemptuously at Naruto.

"Well well, as I live an' breve, Cappin' Gold. I din't think they'd send you an' a rookie after little ol' me, I mean really, dis'n looks like she belongs in a brothel more den dem barracks." Stewart said, Belle grimacing at his rotting breath. The majority of his teeth were black as Naruto's blade, what few he had left, which could explain his inability for basic grammar.

"Barracks, that's probably the longest word I've every heard you use, Regal." Naruto said, switching immediately into Captain Mode. His sword hung loosely in his hand to the side, baiting the traitorous Guardsmen.

"Oi, watch it, ya fathead. I'd hate ta twitch and cut dis'n's sweet skin. You sure know how ta pick um Cappin'." The rogue said, using his free hand to reach up as he groped Belle, who whimpered, tears falling from her eyes.

"Yeah, like that girl you had back in the city. What was her name, Mellony, I believe." Naruto smirked darkly as Stewart paused, glaring at Naruto as he growled, squeezing Belle tightly, drawing a thin line of blood from her neck.

"You leabe 'er alone, or I swear I'mma cut ya neck, and pass your girlie around da camp!" Regal snarled, and Naruto smirked, sticking up his middle finger. "Dat's it, you die!" He yelled, throwing Belle to the side as he charged at Naruto, throwing his knife with surprising accuracy as Naruto brought his sword to bear as it blocked the twirling knife, barely having time to cross blades with Regal's sword as he swung low.

"Ya can't beat me, Cappin'! Don't ya 'member, ya taught me all ya tricks." He yelled as Naruto feinted right, but Regal saw through it, blocking his exposed left side. Rather than push his blade back, Regal kicked outwards, Naruto leaping back as he frowned, looking at Regal apathetically.

"True, that is why I learned some new tricks." Naruto taunted, sheathing his sword as Regal growled at him, arrogantly charging in as Naruto dropped down, rolling by him as he pulled a second knife out, this one longer as he spun it around to a reverse grip, sinking it into the traitor's kneecap, crumpling him. Naruto came to his feet in one continuous smooth movement, placing the razor sharp edge to Regal's throat, drawing blood.

"As a former member of the Queen's Knights, you are entitled to a final statement." Naruto said, and Regal growled at him, spitting at him as Naruto flicked it aside with his dagger.

"I'm not going to beg for ma life, Gold." Regal said, and Naruto shrugged his shoulders, driving his dagger into the former Knight's heart, twisting as he pulled it out, ending the man's life.

"Now then, I believe, you were about to be my bookworm?" Naruto asked, and Belle sighed, clasping the collar around her neck. "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you if I can help it, I promise." Naruto added, smiling kindly at Belle as the pair continued down their path.

**A/N: So, what did you think? I personally enjoyed it, but I might be a bit biased. Next chapter, we'll be in this new and foreign land, and you'll get to see how Naruto acts in public. Also, because I know it's coming, I don't condone slavery, sexual discrimination, or anything of the like. It merely did it to force Belle to trust Naruto, since it will be crucial later on.**

**In other news, I've been watching House M.D. lately, and was sufficiently surprised to find out what Emma looks like with black hair, and as a doctor, and with a personality that makes my teeth grate. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sup guys, I'm doing better now that I'm finally home again. Let me just say, college road trips mixed with E.R. visits are not fun, especially when you have so many ideas bouncing around in your head with no way to properly express them. One of the original ideas I had for this chapter, I changed, although you guys shouldn't care because you'll never know what the original idea was. With that said, on with show.**

**Trust and Honor**

Naruto sighed for possibly the seventeenth time since boarding the ship that was currently ferrying him and his 'slave' across the seas to Xyllica. To be honest, he wasn't totally okay with his decision to bring her along, which he'd voiced several times but not acted upon.

While he wandered the deck, Belle was below deck sleeping, which he allowed purely because they had a long journey ahead of them and roughing it in the wild didn't seem like something she would be accustomed to. Not to mention that he could get by on as little as four hours of sleep a day while Belle seemed to require nearly twice that; Naruto snorted, '_females'_.

As he looked out over the dank, misty water, he idlely fingered the hilt of his blade, and his mind returned to that time.

"Yes dear, I'll be along to bed shortly." Regina said to her fiancée. The king nodded, turning from the room as he pulled the door shut behind him.

"Well, he seems dreadfully boring for a king." A growling voice said; Regina whipping around to see her silent assassin, her magic already rising as the beginnings of a fireball could be seen in her hand.

"Naruto, what are you doing here? I thought our lessons for this week were already completed?" Regina said, the fireball vanishing as she looked questioningly at the blonde assailant who was sitting nonchalantly in a chair in the corner.

"What, I can't visit my favorite student without an ulterior motive? I'm hurt, see right here where my heart is supposed to be." He pouted, the ascending queen smiling as she retook her seat, looking over several sheets of paper.

"_Your_ favorite student, I was under the impression that we were learning together. Besides that, I'd hardly call myself your father's favorite either. That title belongs to you, blondie." She spoke, Naruto rising from his chair as his orange refinery fell to the floor.

"Ahh, you're just jealous that all the girls want me, and you can't have me. Although, maybe if you ask nicely and say _pretty please._" Naruto whispered, saying the last part in a perfect imitation of Regina's voice. "And what is this utter rubbish about cutting taxes and giving away 1/10th of the castle's personal granary to the lower classes? I thought you were marrying a king, not a sugar plum fairy." Naruto snarked as Regina resisted the urge to smirk at his uttered thoughts.

"But with the drought going on, the lower classes need a break or-" Regina started only to be interrupted by Naruto's snort of disbelief.

"They need a break because they account for 70 percent of the kingdom's population, mainly due to the fact that they can't stop having kids. I mean I appreciate the female form as much as most males but you don't see me continuing my legacy, now do you?" Naruto snarled out as he crumpled up the paper, throwing it against the wall.

"Speaking of legacy, you should drop by sometime and meet his daughter, Snow." Regina said, leaning back in her chair as she reached for the final paper in the stack.

"No need, I met her on my way up. I was under the impression that when you meet a strange, unknown man sneaking around in your castle, you don't walk up to him and go, 'Hello Mister, my name is Snow. Are you going to kill me?' I mean my father could, but if some idiot tried to kill my father, well all the luck to him." Naruto hissed out as he grabbed up another paper, reading over it before his eyes widened in a rare display of anything but apathy.

"Have you read this paper? In the case of his death, he leaves everything not to his wife, er second wife as the case may be, but to his useless daughter! Are you okay with this?" Naruto yelled, and Regina paused to look at the paper with a moderate degree of sadness, and a much more substantial portion of feminine rage.

"How dare he, and after all this trouble to find a queen because he can't rule alone. Well, we'll see how well he can rule from a pile of horse dung!" Regina yelled back as Naruto looked at her silently for a second before a small smile broke across his face as he put the tip of the paper into the torch before dropping it onto the table as the fire spread.

"Hmm, I think you can use this, precious, to take advantage of the situation." Naruto pointed out as Regina sent him a glare at the massive fire raging on the desk.

"May be, but I couldn't do it alone. Perhaps you and your father could assist me?" Regina requested as Naruto rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders.

"My father wouldn't help you without a definite advantage you could give him, that's just good business sense. However, if the lady were to become the sole ruler of this decrepit kingdom, I would be glad to swear my fealty to your cause, especially since you would owe me." Naruto answered with a grin on his face that better suited a psychotic murderer.

"Oh, I'm a lady now, huh? Whatever happened to calling me rude names?" Regina asked, genuinely curious as too his change of heart.

"When one looks like you do, you're either a lady or a wench that is far out of her depth; although you'd look twice as resplendent and gorgeous with that crown on your head. I promise …your majesty." Naruto said as he bowed on one knee, his grin catching the fires as his whole face was dyed crimson, a look that was mirrored by Regina.

"All ashore that's going ashore!" A booming voice shouted over the sounds of seagulls and buoy bells. Naruto was shaken from his memories by the voice cutting into them. Not that it mattered as moments later, Belle lightly pushed on his shoulder to get his attention.

"Hey, we're here." She said, and Naruto snorted as she walked off, her shoes resounding against the wooden deck of the ship. He followed after her, subconsciously gripping his blade as he settled for leaping over the gangplank rather than wait as the ship's other occupants went ashore.

As he started into the center of the small port town, he could hear Belle following, not that he couldn't find her simply by using his magic to call her to him. It occurred to him when a man passed by with a small group of women following, their necks all bearing a color and tag with a coat-of-arms to take Belle aside.

"Don't forget Bookworm, while we're here, I'm in charge. You don't talk back, you only speak when spoken to, and whatever you do, try not to show any emotion. Got it?" He hissed, leaving no room for Belle to barter as he pulled her out of the small alleyway as he headed for the logical first destination: the tavern.

Pushing the door open, the strong stench of puke and yeasty leaguer hit Naruto's trained nose as it crinkled in disgust, a judgment that was not disproved when he nearly tripped over a man passed out on the floor. Belle looked loathe to even consider entering the building.

Sliding into a booth near the door, he motioned Belle over, punctuating it with a snarl as she slid into the opposing seat with a cowed look, when no one was looking he gave her a nod of ascent. This garnered a small smile from the brunette, which in turn made Naruto frown, but before he could correct her expression a young male with cropped mud brown bangs swaggered over to the booth.

"What you want to drink?" Was the question, although the grunting voice reminded Naruto too much of swine. The fact that the man-boy's gut was hanging over the top of his pants had absolutely nothing to do with this assessment, nope.

"I'll have whatever goes down the easiest; she'll have the same in the largest mugs you got." Naruto ordered, Belle barely repressing the urge to kick him under the table until after the swine had left.

"I don't drink!" She hissed, which regardless of the loud typical tavern conversations, still caused a temporary pause as those that weren't too drunk to care turned to look at the pair.

"Did I just hear that little slut speak without permission?" A particularly elderly man said, and chorused by several other men. One ever rose to approach the pair, not bothering to pull up his pants that had pooled around his feet. It was at this moment that Belle first noticed the fact that of the numerous women in the room, she was one of only three not on the floor and one of the other's was allowed to sit in a chair purely to feed the male nearest her. Following the pantsed man, a redhead with smeared lipstick came out from under the table, also not bothering to wipe her mouth as Belle could still the evidence of her actions mere minutes earlier.

She started to responded, whether with harsh words or steely glare, but Naruto took the brunt of the stares, "No, she ain't got any tongue for talking. I had my stable boy clip it out of her, it kept getting in the way; you know how it is." Naruto responded, his voice taking on the layered sounds of a man several cups drunk.

"Haha, that sounds nice. Maybe I should try that with my whore here, I know she knows her way around my cock, but you can always improve I say. Tell you what, how about I get my girly to give you a sample and you let me go a couple rounds with your toy there?" The man said, and Naruto frowned, giving the universal answer of the middle finger.

"You think that's a fair trade, this girl is untouched by man, I'm saving her for a special occasion, and I bet another round for everybody that that thing you call girl is as loose as a sailor's tongue!" Naruto snarled back as the man waved him off, falling back into his seat as Naruto shot a look at Belle not to say another word. She seemed to understand as silence reigned over the table until the serving girl came by, carrying two massive mugs filled to the brim with what would almost pass as sludge.

Unfortunately, one of the men at the adjoining table took the opportunity to slap the girl's rear with a loud _clap_ which sent both mugs tumbling down on to Naruto's head as he was doused head to toe in black oily sludge. If anything, it served to see how well belle could keep silent as she went statuesque at the sight, although Naruto could make out the tightening of her jaw as she somehow suppressed the urge to laugh at him. Likewise, the other men occupying the bar had no such problems as a loud raucous sound was heard.

As Naruto wiped what could only be described as mold from his eyes, shaking out his hair like a dog, a lanky man ran to his side falling to the floor. "Please sir, forgive my daughter, she didn't know what she was doing. I beg you not to punish her, I don't know if I could handle such things happening to my daughter after my wife was taken before me!"

"Ahh, shut up you whiny prat! Do you think anyone will even consider not stripping her and passing her around the table!?" A middle-aged man shouted over the loud prattle, his voice irritating Naruto as he reached down, and scooping up the two mugs which amazing were untouched from hitting the floor. Then before anyone could react, Naruto hurled the first mug at the man, the thick glass sending him tumbling backwards.

Spinning the other mug around his crooked finger, he retuned his attention back to the man bowing on the floor, "So, you want me to not punish the girl for covering me in this disgusting gruel, ruining my clothes, and most importantly, not begging for my forgiveness herself." Naruto asked the man, a hopeful look being returned as he sighed, running a hand through his soaked hair.

"Fine, give the girl her belongings; I'll take her with me." Naruto cursed under his breath as he rose from the chair attempting to clean off his clothes, only to sense someone coming at him with harmful intent. He turned to stop the attacker, which turned out to be the man who'd been hit in the face by the first mug, but he slipped on the puddle of beer on the floor as he went down, the man stabbing at him with a red hot poker from the fire.

Naruto hissed in pain before what could only be described as a wave of rage began to emanate from the blonde as he flipped to his feet, kneeing the man in the privates before gripping him around the neck as he choke-slammed him onto the table, his head bouncing several inches off the hard wood. With barely any trouble, Naruto also wrenched the poker from his hands, raising it up to strike the man. However, he gave pause as he glanced to the side to see Belle looking at him with fear.

"Let this be a lesson on what happens to those that irritate me! Now walk out of here, I'll join you shortly with your new sister!" Naruto growled out, Belle lurching up from the seat as she ran outside, her teeth grit tightly together.

Satisfied that she was gone, Naruto looked back to the man he was still holding down. "The only thing I hate worse than a man who'd attack from behind is a traitor to his or her master. Be lucky that you are not one or this would be your tongue!" Naruto snarled out with a dark look on his face. Then, before his statement could be questioned, he sunk the still red-hot poker through the man's hand and thick wooden table.

Rather than scream, all the man could do was make wet gagging noises as Naruto clenched his hand tightly, leaning down to whisper into the man's ear, "One last thing, one shouldn't cross the Black-hearted." With that, Naruto walked out, still twirling the mug around his finger. He gave a final pause at the door as he turned back, tossing the mug into the air before it transformed into a shower of glass shards. If one were to look closely enough, they would've noticed that his hand was idlely fingering the hilt of his sword as the door shut behind him.

Once outside, he found Belle vomiting into a bush, most likely because she had heard the sound of the mug exploding which could've been mistaken for bones breaking to those unaccustomed to it. Beside her was the serving girl from earlier who now belonged to Naruto.

He'd lied inside the bar once Belle had left, not that he hated a traitor more than anything but that he hated that sole thing beside back-stabbers. Among the things he despised more than them were rapists, slavers, and most of all oath-breakers although those he equalized with traitors. And so the idea that he now owned what could be considered a slave didn't sit well with him, although he argued mentally that now she could actually have a chance at freedom back in the Enchanted Forest.

She had dirty blonde hair that fell to her mid-back which looked greasy. The familiar light he was accustomed to in humans was absent from her eyes which he noted dully were a brilliant shade of brown that more closely resembled orange. She had a small upturned nose and cheekbones that gave her an imperious look, if it was for the stringy, greasy hair and lackluster eyes.

Even more depressing was that he noticed her belongings equated to a small bag that looked barely big enough to hold the current ransom for Snow White in Regina's ki-queendom.

His eyes fell to the next thing of note, her ample bosom which seemed to spill over the top of her corset, despite the fact that it looked loosely tied. Her dress underneath fell to her mid-calf and she was barefoot.

He was brought out of his observations by a particularly loud retch by Belle. Sighing, he approached the pair, the girl's eyes looking soullessly at him.

"Hello, I'm sorry to have to do this, but we're here on business and I'll need to send you back somewhere safe. Could you give me your name, perhaps?" Naruto questioned, his tone soft as the girl looked at him before responded lowly.

"Emma, my name is Emma, Master." The now named Emma said as Naruto nodded, pulling a small piece of paper from his pocket, he began to write on it with magic.

"Okay, your arrival is in order, Emma, but could you please not call me Master anymore?" Naruto said, and Emma nodded slowly. "Of course Master, whatever you desire." Naruto sighed as he performed the perfunctory motion to summon the swirl of smoke that enveloped Emma, taking her wherever he had sent her. At the last second, he tossed the piece of paper into the swirl as it too vanished.

"Okay, now that that's done, would you rather spend the night here or in the wilderness, precious Bookworm?" Naruto asked, somewhat rhetorical considering he already knew her answer.

"Forest, I never want to see this place again! Speaking of which, when are you going to tell me where we're headed?" Belle responded, following after the blonde as he headed for the town walls, and the mountains beyond.

He answered with two words, "Razorback Ridge!" And although Belle didn't know where that was, in her limited experience, when Naruto smiled that big, it wasn't a place she wanted to visit.

**A/N: Sup guys, I got another chapter written and posted for you. Props for me, oh yeah. So I made this A/N to announce the result of the poll, Naruto will arrive alone. So let's just say sometime within the first five episodes? Anyways, I just wanted to let you guys know, so have a nice day.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm still making progress on this story, and wanted to thank you for your votes on the poll, as long running a sit was, as to how I should introduce Naruto into Storybrooke. Also, I've decided to extend this story arc an extra chapter. All the same, it should be three chapters at most after this story arc until we get to the real world. One last thing, this chapter may run longer than normal since I didn't want to divide it into two chapters.**

**A Castle Broken**

Naruto sighed as he looked down at Belle, who was curled up in her traveling cloak, barely a foot from the fire yet still shivering, her book fallen to the side as he marked the page, closing it as he placed it back into her bag with magic. He looked up into the sky at the large silvery disc as he shrugged off his own thick traveling cloak and placed it over the girl also with magic. She needed it more than him anyways, and besides, he had a second cloak that he preferred as he pulled it around him, feeling the rough bark dig into his back as he leaned back against the tree.

As he began to feel sleep pulling on his eyelids, he breathed in through his nose, relishing in the scent on his second cloak as he fell into the realm of dreams.

"I said no one was to disturb me! Unless ogres are attacking the castle, I'll have you drawn and quartered!" Regina snarled through her hands. She felt a hand softly touch her, and flared in rage as she called her magic to kill the person that dared to touch her so amicably.

"Well, I wouldn't say ogres per say, but your guards can't really stop me, now can they?" Naruto said, as Regina's expression softened at the sight of him. He'd almost always had that effect on her to temper her emotions.

"Did they even try?" Regina asked rhetorically, it was well known that Naruto visited on occasion to see her on some business from his father. So the guards had learned not to stand in his way or else they tended to lose their hearts.

"The first couple didn't, but you have a pair of rookies guarding your door and they tried, even cut my cloak when I had my back turned." Naruto said disapprovingly, he despised back-stabbers.

"Oh, yeah some of my more senior Black Knights recently deserted me for that Snow White!" Regina fell back into her annoyance at the memory. She would make that little girl pay if it was the last thing she did.

"So you have back-stabbers and traitors among your Black Knights, and you expect them to protect you. Ha, it's no wonder you're so stressed out." Naruto whispered into her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.

"It's that insolent Snow White, if I could have her captured then…" She let the statement trail off, "But every time I send someone to capture her they end up either deserting me, or coming back empty handed because the villages refused to give up her location. I can't even threaten them anymore because that is starting to lose its effect!" Regina hissed as she rose, striding to the balcony, Naruto watching her curiously until he saw how her gown clung to her skin, and he felt his blood rise. He looked away reproachfully as he mentally scolded himself.

"Maybe, I could help you with both problems." He suggested and Regina looked at him surprised, laughing under her breath.

"You help me, and what exactly will you get out of this?" Regina asked, approaching him and standing closer than he preferred but he refused to be the first one to back down.

"How about when I bring Snow White in, you leave her execution to me. Other than that, the idea of spending exorbitant amounts of time in the company of a beautiful woman, how could I resist?" Naruto spoke, brushing her cheek as he leaned in before turning away, leaving Regina blushing as she touched her cheek.

"Wait, I can't let you run around the realm without some authority." Regina called after him as she used magic to call forth a raven's wing traveling cloak marked with her sigil. She tossed it to him which he caught in the manner of it magically wrapping around him. He responded by turning around and mock bowing, "By your leave, my empress." With that said, he turned and threw open the doors to her throne room.

The chirping of the birds awoke the blonde as he looked to the side over the treetops to see the sun breaking the horizon.

"Dawn, when the Artist paints the skies, and when the dead rise." He said as he rolled to the side, falling to the ground below as he landed silently so as not awaken Belle who was still curled tightly in a ball. He chuckled softly as he began to prepare breakfast. Belle awoke a little over an hour later to the smell of cooking bacon; she groggily turned to see Naruto perched over the fire perfectly groomed.

Belle sat up, yawning widely as Naruto looked up at er, chuckling lightly at her messy hair as well as the small line of drool coming out of the corner of her mouth. It seemed to take all her strength to push herself up as the two cloaks pooled at her feet.

"There's a small stream and pond about 100 feet that way." Naruto pointed off to the side, returning his attention to the cooking bacon. "Don't take too long, we need to pack up and head on before the sun gets too high or else you'll be miserable." Naruto called after her as she stumbled off towards the water, her bag slung haphazardly over her shoulder.

Four hours later, Naruto paused to look around before nodding to himself as he continued on, Belle trailing behind him still barely awake now that she was full and the morning sun had warmed her, it took a conscious effort to stay awake.

Minutes later, she had had enough, "How much farther until we're there?" She whined to Naruto who looked back with a smile as he stopped, Belle mentally praising him as she slumped to the ground like a doll.

"Depends, do you want to take the scenic route or the dangerous route. Actually, I suppose that's an unfair comparison as they're both dangerous." Naruto said, and Belle rolled her eyes; as if anything the blonde did **wasn't** dangerous.

"I suppose it might be worth mentioning that the scenic route also offers breaks along the way whereas the purely dangerous path is nonstop work." Naruto offered as Belle sighed, nodding her head as Naruto smiled brightly looking behind him.

"Okay, then it should another two hours until we get there, maybe three depending on how long we rest on the way." Naruto said offhandedly, like he'd rehearsed this speech.

"I know I'll regret asking, but where is this Razorback Ridge and why are we going there?" Belle asked, pushing herself back to her feet. However, before she could react, Naruto had scooped her up, the pair vanishing in a swirl of smoke as Naruto reappeared atop a tree, tightly holding the brunette who shrieked… right into his ear.

"Hold on, I won't drop you. Now look over there and tell we what you see." Naruto whispered as he lowered her, holding on to her by her waist as he pointed off into the distance. Belle looked worriedly towards his finger, and her eyes widened in shock, how had she missed something like that?

"It-It's a massive wall of stone." She whispered, and Naruto's smile could be heard through his voice.

"Yes, that is Razorback Ridge, and our destination is some ruins on the very top of it. And the reason you can't see these ruins is because what you see only goes to the clouds, whereas the ruins are at least another 1000 feet higher than that, and yes, the term Razorback does serve a purpose. The ridge is barely wide enough for a single person along the top, and this side is a straight drop to the ground below. So unless you suddenly learn how to fly, well, I'm sure you can finish that sentence." Naruto said, and the pair vanished once more in smoke to reappear on the ground, closer to the wall.

Once more, Naruto set off before looking back at her with a considering look, "I forget to mention, if you see any wolves, I would recommend diving off the edge of the world." And for once his smile was serious.

As predicted, two-and-a-half hours later, Naruto and Belle stood in front of a massive castle that towered another hundred or so feet into the air the various towers and equally various stages of ruin with some untouched with other being only indicated by a few large stone blocks.

"Welcome, precious Bookworm, to," Naruto announced, his next words a bunch of gibberish that Belle couldn't make out, "Or it's called in our tongue, the Saccharine Throne." Naruto finished with a flourish and mock bow as he looked at Belle who returned the look strangely.

"So, split-up or stick together, what do you think?" Naruto asked, heading for the door which was slightly ajar with vines running up it, pieces of the wood littering the grounds where the wood had rotted. The fact that these pieces were similar in size to Naruto seemed to escape the blonde, but not the brunette, who was steadily growing more wary of these adventure/treasure hunt.

"I thought giants were a myth, you know something to tell to kids so they'll behave?" Belle mumbled as she raced after Naruto, who entered into the decrepit castle.

"Nope, but this isn't a giant's castle, notice the architecture." Naruto said lecturing as he gestured to the various examples around the room which was abnormally large for a traditionally sized castle.

"The columns are massive, yes, but notice the arches that crisscross on the way up. If you look closely, you can see the smaller arches built into the columns. And the stone blocks used are normal sized, which a giant would have trouble carrying and placing so. Another thing to notice is…" Naruto trailed off as he looked around before finding his destination as he raced off towards a much smaller door. Belle followed after, finding him in a much more moderately sized room with a small depress in the floor that had a mosaic built into the floor which featured a lot of marble and gold depictions.

"What is this place?" belle asked as he looked around, before noticing that a small window was on the wall, and looking out of it, she barely choked off the yell at the sight. There was nothing in sight except clouds and the occasional bird that quickly dipped back down; nothing except a small mangled body that was mummified.

"The baptismal chamber, which means…" once more Naruto trailed off a she looked around before his eyes lighted on a wall as he ran to it, only to find that it went further in than it appeared as he turned and headed down the disguised passage.

"Baptismal chamber, what does that mean?" Belle called out as she was forced to race off after Naruto once again. She finally caught up with him, in a large chamber, with various treasures scattered around the room among the mountains of golden coins.

"Goblins, but I thought those died out decades ago!" Belle yelled as Naruto began to wade through the proverbial sea of gold.

"So the legends say, I don't know, but what I do know is that this castle was their capitol. Two creatures could be so obsessed with gold, and only one of them would horde so much. After all, the Dwarves are honest that way and keep only what they dig up, whereas the Goblins loot and raid like no others and all that gold had to be stockpiled somewhere. Of course, the war between them is what caused this unnatural geological formation. Legends say that over a thousand Dwarves mined for two years until the mountain was left in this condition eliminating the Goblin's advantage of numbers." Naruto said, having reached the other side of the sea of gold as he looked at Belle with far too much glee to be considered normal.

"Anyways, the baptismal chamber was one of the most closely guarded rooms among Goblins. You see after the first son is born to the Goblin King, all following males are taken to the baptismal chamber and baptized in molten gold." Naruto said, looking around for something. Not finding it, he cursed under his breath as his smile turned to consternation.

"But, that's horrible and barbaric! That would kill anything!" Belle shrieked, and Naruto winced as the cry echoed throughout the room.

"That was the point. By doing so, there could be no usurpers to steal the throne from the rightful king. However, legends also say that if the child did survive, then the goblins took that as a sign from their Gods that the child was destined to be a great king. Maybe not the next king, or the one after, but they would be king, and a great one, such was their destiny." Naruto said back to excitedly, before he turned and spotted something as he took off down a passage to who knows where.

Belle was caught off guard by the actions and paused before racing after him, only to have to likewise wade through the sea of golden objects, taking even longer than Naruto due to her weaker body.

Meanwhile, Naruto had raced off in search of the throne room, and his goal. Running through the antechamber once more, he turned down a side passage that narrowed with multiple rooms off shooting from it, however, Naruto had read several books on architecture and knew that normally all hallways lead to the throne room. He was rewarded for this as he continued down the path, and came to a room with no doors that held his destination.

A throne big enough for several humans to sit side-by-side comfortably; and on it hung a crown that despite its simple appearance, that of a single golden band, Naruto knew held great power. It was aid that all those who wore the crown would find great wealth.

It also held a second purpose that Naruto intended to test as he lifted the crown, feeling it heat up in his hands, it quickly grew too hot fro Naruto to hold as he yelped, dropping it as it hit the floor and began to roll away, bouncing on the stones. He gave chase as his prey eluded him.

He finally caught it back in the baptismal chamber, rolling in a ring around the depression. Scooping it up once more, Naruto started to place it in his trusty bag when he noticed one of the mosaics that looked different from the rest.

It showed a Goblin holding the crown aloft as he brandished a golden rod in his other hand, pointing it towards the sky. Bending down, Naruto ran his hand over the picture several times before finding it, a shallow divot in the tile where the crown was. Suddenly an idea occurred to him as he placed the crown into the divot, pressing down and turning it like a knob.

With a low rumble, a hole barely big enough for the blonde opened in the base of the bowl, and with a smile, Naruto climbed down into it.

At the same time, Belle was wandering around the castle, calling out for Naruto. It creeped her out how her voice echoed back every time. Seeing something out of the corner of her eye, the brunette turned sharply to catch a door shutting silently on well-oiled hinges. Huffing exasperatedly, she ran to the door, her shoes resounding against the smooth floors as she got to it, pushing on the door, only for it not to budge.

Grumbling, she pushed harder, and yet the door still didn't give. With an air of finality, the brunette gave the door a swift kick which sent her hopping around one foot. Despite the appearance of a lightweight wood, the door was made of something much heavier.

With a loud utterance of several words unbefitting a lady, even one of her current status, Belle stalked off only to stop at the loud rumble that began to come from within the castle itself as if the great behemoth was awakening from its long slumber. Seconds later, she was struck painfully on the head by something.

Looking around, she found what it was, only because more began to fall. An overhang had opened, and golden coins were striking the floor in a golden hailstorm. This had the unintended effect of the castle seeming to come alive as Belle watched in wonderment as the stones seemed to move around her, and then as wonderment turned to horror as she realized the stones were moving but creatures that perfectly blended with the stones.

They had long gangly limbs and bony bodies as well as obtuse heads with large ears, several of which had insects crawling in. Their skin was the color and had the texture of either sandpaper or, Belle thought, paper that had begun to grow old, yellowing and curling up at the edges. But the worst was their voices which closely resembled metal on stone. Once the initial shock had worn off, she realized what they were saying, "Thief!" They cried, as one, as a whole, as the horde came to life, advancing on the innocent brunette who did what her instincts demanded, she turned and with the threat of her life chasing behind her, she ran like never before, faster than her body could've ever before.

As she turned a corner, she did the only thing her mind could think to do in these situations, she screamed.

Clambering out the hole, Naruto heard the scream as it echoed through the castle, and his blood went cold as he leapt from the pit, his prize secure in the pouch on his hip. Bending low he ran back the way he'd came before coming into the massive antechamber with the soaring arches. Coming out the door like a horse at full gallop, Naruto immediately spotted Belle rushing towards him from the opposite side of the room, her face twisted in terror, Naruto didn't know why until he saw something from the corner of his eye move and glanced up to see the arches coming alive as thousands of small, sallow creatures were lining, heading for the columns littered around the room which were bridged on every level by the arches.

"Turn right, get to the door!" He practically roared over the growing sound of dragging bodies, Belle's head snapping up as she nodded furiously, or maybe she was just breathing _really_ heavily, Naruto couldn't really tell.

Belle heard him, but thought he meant his right and so she turned left, heading down a much narrower passage that wouldn't have looked out of place in a castle. Pausing once she'd turned the corner to wait on Naruto, she jumped and gave a small squeak when something grabbed her shoulder. She sighed in relief when she saw it was just Naruto.

"I said turn right, and you go this way!" Naruto hissed, the ruins having grown quiet, no doubt because the goblins were hunting them down.

"I thought you meant _your _right, my left." Belle whispered back, and Naruto sighed in exasperation.

"Here, put your collar back on, its magic will keep you quiet so maybe we can sneak out of here safely." Naruto mumbled, pulling the collar which he'd removed shortly after leaving the town out of nowhere with his magic.

"Okay." Belle answered, taking the black collar with wavering hands when it happened.

Belle never claimed to have the strongest nerve or the fastest reflexes, and it was showing now. As she took the collar it slipped from her hand, and fell to hit the stone floor with a clear, reverberating _cling_!

"Never mind, you run this way, and I'll try and hold them off." Naruto said, shoving Belle further down the corridor.

"No way, you'll die, there's way too many of them Naruto!" belle said, but Naruto glanced at her with the first genuine smile since this adventure started.

"I can't die yet, I have someone I love most dearly, and I won't leave her alone! NOW GO!" He yelled, and Belle stumbled back a few steps before turning and running away like a bat out of Hell.

Pulling his sword free, Naruto relaxed, feeling how his sword connected to his arm like an extension, just as it was meant to as he swung it, catching the first Goblin to round the corner in what he assumed was its shoulder. Naruto nearly grimaced as it wailed, leaking black ooze from the wound.

But he didn't have time to think about it as twenty more followed shortly, some standing on top of their fallen kindred. With a nonplused breath, Naruto leapt into battle with the horde.

If Belle had stuck around, she would've seen Naruto fall into a dance-like battle as he flowed throughout the battle, slicing at each opportunity and blocking seamlessly without effort. When it was over, Naruto stood amid the bodies, many of which were divided, all leaking the same black ooze.

Sighing with relief once more, Naruto replaced his blade, a mistake as seconds later the first Goblin stood to his gangly feet and ran down the corridor after Belle, Naruto cursing loudly as he chased after it.

Belle meanwhile was running down the singular corridor which unlike the other one had no attached rooms, making her wonder where it was leading her. She got her answer moments latter when she turned a corner, barreling down the passage only to stop, on the tips of her feet, leaning over a stark drop as the rest of the passage had broken off and fell down the cliff. Finally getting her balance back, she backed away, turning back the way she came, sending prayers to whoever was listening for Naruto to come round that bend, he'd have a plan.

Her hopes were dashed as a singular Goblin covered in black came around the corner, his ebony marbles locking on to her as he put his head down, barreling at her like a charging carriage. She could down nothing as she took a step back unconsciously, her foot going off the edge as she began to fall, the Goblin leaping at her, grabbing on to her as they both went over the side.

The world seemed to slow down as she looked up into the blue sky and sound fell away as rather than the absolute terror that had gripped her mere moments was gone as calm washed over her. And then it to fell away as she felt the magmata pain of her arm being wrenched from its socket as her eyes met the electric blue of her savior, who was breathing heavily. Behind him, she could see his midnight blade stuck into the stones, the only thing keeping both from hurtling to their deaths. Below her, she could still hear the unholy screams of the falling Goblin.

"I thought you'd died." Belle gulped down the throaty cry as Naruto struggled to lift the girl. Normally, it wouldn't be a problem, but the only thing keep him from going over the edge after her was his sword which required the use of at least one hand, and he couldn't stand up to get some leverage without releasing the blade.

"I promised you I would keep you safe, didn't I?" Naruto mumbled out, smiling softly at the brunette as she smiled back. Then, the moment was broken by the rumble coming towards them. Glancing back, Naruto recognized the sound, nearly identical to water flowing down a sluice.

'Do you trust me?" Naruto asked quickly, watching Belle's face for her answer as she wasn't expecting the sudden question. "Do you trust me?" Naruto asked again, and this time Belle was ready as she nodded.

"Yes, I trust you." She responded with some tredeptation.

"Then may I suggest if you suffer from acrophobia, vertigo, or you're a generally normal person, don't look down." Naruto said, and before Belle could question him, he released her hand and a scream was torn from her mouth as she felt gravity take hold as she fell, making a small puff as she hit the cloud cover.

Meanwhile, Naruto took a deep breath, bounding to his feet as he looked back just long enough for the true horde of Goblins to round the corner, filling the corridor much like water as they tumbled over each other, racing towards Naruto who grabbed his blade, sliding it home in its place on his side as he ran towards an overarching arch, hitting the side, using his momentum to take another step up, back flipping with just enough air that as he tucked his legs in, he went under the top of the arch and he slammed his feet into it, sending him rocket down after Belle.

As he broke the cloud cover, he saw her tumbling in the air, and increased his speed, hearing the wind screech in his ears. Closing his eyes due to the tears blurring his vision, he caught up to her, rolling in the air as he wrapped his arms around her, pressing her head to his chest as he twisted the ring on his finger, ravens wing-colored wings sprouting from his back as he curled them around them both before opening them widen as their descent slowed and they shpt off like an arrow, zipping across the sky as the sunset before them.

"I thought you were going to let me die." Belle sobbed out as Naruto comforted her.

"I'd never forget that I promised to keep you safe, precious Bookworm." Naruto whispered into her ear as he angled towards the northwest.

"But, how?" Belle asked, and Naruto smirked roguishly at the brunette.

"Rest for now, and I'll tell you when we land." And those were the last words Belle heard as she fell to sleep, whether by her own will or by some magic, she knew not, only that the sleep was long overdue.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: So, I've received more than a couple reviews, and PMs asking what story arc this is. I'm going to assume you're asking when this town, or castle, or 'country' was introduced on canon, and the answer is… it wasn't. I thought I said that earlier that this was a story arc entirely of my creation with the purpose of developing the relationship between Naruto and Belle. Now then, on with this chapter.**

**Mutiny!**

Naruto groaned as the ship pitched to the side, vomiting profusely into the provided bucket. And by provided, Naruto had swiped it from a deck hand. Meanwhile, Belle was on the deck, enjoying the beautiful day that was left since it was around 3 o'clock in the afternoon; _"Screw her."_ Naruto thought irritably.

Once they'd landed outside the little hamlet, they'd had to wait another two hours until a ship was prepared for their return voyage. During that time, Naruto had explained things to Belle who paid rapt attention, always eager to learn something new, although she did send masked glares at the blonde when she thought he wasn't looking, all things considered.

They'd gotten lucky as Naruto had found out ahead of time that the slave movement had spawned a rebellion among some the towns and hamlets, the dockhands, farmers, blacksmiths and the like taking up whatever weapons they could to tear down the established rule. Naturally, this didn't sit well with the upper, wealthy class which began to pay mercenaries to fight the revolting mobs. So, they were not disturbed during their joint lunch, Belle glad to remove the collar, although he'd paused when he removed it, looking at her wistfully before vanishing the offensive accessory with a small swirl of orange smoke.

"So, you promised you'd explain to me about the wings." Belle said, tearing off a piece of bread to eat absent-mindedly.

"When I started learning magic from my father, I always thought, 'I'm going to outdo you one day' you know, normal son stuff. Well, it didn't occur to my thick skull that he was the Dark One, and outdoing him in any magic was a dream that would just sit on a shelf. It's why I don't use my magic in the same way as he does, or… my fellow apprentice." Naruto said, taking a large bite out of a turkey leg. Chewing for several moments, he swallowed loudly.

"I only use my magic to summon and vanish things with the rare case of 'punishment' but I'll not speak of that. If I have to fight, I'll use my fists if I'm trying to prevent bloodshed, but I much prefer to use my blade. It was a gift I received for my hard work, work I performed without the aid of magic. Anyway, it's an example of my preferred forms of magic." He said, gesturing to a passing wench as she brought him another tankard.

"Blood magic? Oh my God, did you bring me out here to sacrifice me for some dark power to beat your father?" Belle looked at him fearfully as Naruto met her eyes evenly before turning to the side and loudly asking the cook, "Hey Cook, what did you put in my friend's stew?" Belle blushed at her overactive imagination getting away from her… again.

"Hehe, it's fine. No, I frequent such places as this on my numerous adventures in search of the knickknacks you see around my father's castle and adorning me. And I've had _a lot_ of those trips." Naruto mumbled under his breath.

"Wait, so you collected all the magical objects in your father's castle?" Belle asked in disbelief. "What do you get out of it; I mean if you wanted to become stronger than him, why do you give him more magical objects?" Belle continued, looking at Naruto in confusion.

"We have a sort of… agreement. I collect the objects, but I couldn't carry all those around with me, so I leave them in my father's castle where he displays them like spoils, which they are, just not his. Then, if I ever need one, I can stop by and pick it up. Think of it kind of like a library, you have all the books there, and you can take a couple out until you're done with them." Naruto explained, turning up his tankard.

"However, I usually keep some objects on me all the time. I call them my Essential Five. First, my sword, I won't go into the details but it's probably my most powerful item. Second, my bottomless pouch I have here." Naruto said, picking up the pouch as he rummaged around in it before pulling out a stack of gold coins which he stacked on the edge of the table.

"It looks like a normal pouch, but I can put as much stuff as I want into it, and pull it later. Not only that, but it's individually divided. Say that you put a book into it, only you can get the book out. You can only get out what you put in." Naruto explained as the pair began heading for the docks, the sun climbing higher towards its peak.

"So are the wings one of these 'Essential Five'?" Belle asked curiously as Naruto smirked, presenting his hand, which had several rings on it. He selected one, removing it before presenting it to her.

"Yeah, this is my Icarus Ring, which if I twist it clockwise will cause wings to sprout from my back. With such a useful ability, you'd wonder why I haven't used it before right." He asked rhetorically. "Well as my father would say 'Magic comes at a price'. I can only use my ring for one hour a week, and I was going to use it to shorten out trip home, but we'll have to take the whole boat trip now. I only used about forty minutes worth, but I don't want to use any more." He said, sitting down on a box as the ship hands began loading cargo on to the ship.

"Why, if we can get home sooner, I'd prefer that." Belle said forlornly.

"I would too, and if it was that simply, I'd just take off when we got close enough to the shore. But it comes with another problem. Using my Icarus Ring gives me motion sickness, the more I use it, the more severe it becomes. I've used the full hour only once, and I've made every precaution to avoid a repeat offense." Naruto said, sliding the ring back on to its respective finger as he headed up the gangplank.

"Wait, what about the other two items, what are they?" Belle shouted as she chased after him.

"Hmm, I'm not going to say." Naruto said, smirking at Belle putting face. "I got to keep some mystery about me so you'll go on the next trip. I've been hearing whispers about an Ice Queen's Scepter somewhere in the Andal Mountains." He said, mostly to himself as he headed for his room, while Belle paled behind him.

Naruto's wistful remembrance was cut short by a sudden crash on the deck, causing the ship to pitch to the side as the blonde was thrown from his bed, made of piled grain, and into the wall, groaning loudly as he managed to will his magic to action to vanish the shower of his vomit that was headed for him. This didn't help the content's of his stomach that erupted from his mouth seconds later, coating the floor and his cheek.

The pounding of his head was punctuated by the sound of someone running down the hall, calling for him as he pushed himself to his feet only for the ship to pitch the opposite direction, sending him hurtling across the room. He muttered a not so muffled curse, which changed into a thankful praise as part of the wall was torn down by an explosion.

"Great, pirates, just what I need right now!" Naruto growled, swearing as he pushed himself up, finding someone's arm under his as he looked to the side to find his fellow adventurer who had a thin line of blood running down her cheek from a cut.

"We got trouble on the deck." She supplied as he tried to get his sea legs, Belle smiling faintly at his trouble. A well-placed growl made her stop as Naruto finally stood straight, with the help of his hand on the wall, supporting him as they made their way back out of the hold, down the hallway, and up a set of stairs to the deck.

Shoving the door open with his shoulder, Naruto came face-to-face with a rugged pirate, who was promptly knocked on his back by the sudden appearance of Naruto, who rolled his eyes as they swept over the deck, noting the number of pirates which was manageable, although they did have the entire crew tied up.

With a flick of his wrist, a small knife appeared from his sleeve which he immediately shoved into Belle's hands. "Cut the crew loose, and tell them to take cover in the hold unless they have a weapon to fight with. And if one of those tubby guys tried to stop you, just… cut them." Naruto said, shrugging off her assistance as he stumbled forwards, his sword pointing towards the ground. He didn't need to look back to know that she nodded obediently, running towards the nearest crew member.

The first pirate came at him with a classic overhead swing, which he leaned to the side to dodge, only to be thrown of balance by the tilt as he fell down, catching himself on his hand. Although he still managed to swing his sword out weakly, catching the pirate, whose sword was stuck in the wood, in his leg as he went down on one knee as Naruto rolled to the side, coming to his feet with wide eyes as his vision swam.

The next two came at him together, both thin as twigs as Naruto gritted his teeth, as he leapt over the low swing of one, forced to barrel-roll in mid-air to avoid the high swing of the other as he landed on his back, spinning around as he hamstringed the pair who went down in a pile.

A quick cursory glance revealed that Belle had freed two crew members and was trying to cut the third one free when a pirate with dreadlocks tried to hit her in the back. Before he thought, he hurled his sword across the deck as it stuck the large prate in his shoulder as he yelled, cursing loudly as he tried to pull the sword out.

A silent prayer was sent up to whomever was listening that the ship had settled for the moment, allowing Naruto to race across the deck, jumping off a barrel as he planted both feet on the mast as he pushed off, allowing him to grab a free rope as he swung straight at the injured pirate, tackling him over the edge, hooking his sword as they went over, flipping around to sink the black blade into the balustrade, as he used it to anchor himself as he pulled himself up, kicking a second pirate in the face, knocking him away from the preoccupied Belle, who refused to look up from her task, moving on to a fourth and fifth person who were tied together.

"Don't touch her!" Naruto snarled. With that, he leapt back into battle with the remaining pirates; his eyes alight with the rush of battle and protectiveness.

Crossing blades with a pair of rotund pirates, Naruto was alerted to a third pirate by a loud cry of, "Watch out Naruto!" courtesy of Belle, who finished her seventh captive, racing to the ones on the other side of the deck.

Biting back a indignant comment, he took a step back, pressing his back against the third pirate, and before he could react, stomped down, and swinging his left elbow back, smashing the pirates open mouth, feeling warm blood cover the joint as Naruto smirked, bending over as he slid under the beer-gutted pirate, sending him tumbling over the sturdy, despite his lean appearance, blonde, and careening into his two fellow pirates. Naruto made short work of the downed trio.

Then, a loud explosion was his only warning as his instincts took over and he bent backwards, a cannonball flying over him, brushing his hair aside as he went wide-eyed, seeing the cannonball crash into the ocean on the other side, sending a large spray up and rocking the boat as he gulped down the rising lunch, even as he crashed to the deck as his equilibrium went haywire once again.

However, he was caught off guard a he was lifting by the neck of his cloak, cutting off his air as he blinked through the ears to see the most hideous pirate of the bunch with an eye patch, and judging from the smell, the eye was till there, only rotting away, several scars which oozed something greenish, and what appeared to be holey, blackened teeth. And then he spoke and Naruto barely repressed the urge to gag, before thinking better of it.

"Not so tough now, are ya', ya' lil' bast… ARGHHHH! GURGLE!" His words were cut off as Naruto choose this moment to 'strategically' induce his motion sickness mixed with the repulsive smell of the pirate's breath. That is to say, he began to profusely vomit… straight in the pirate's face and open mouth. Needless to say, he dropped Naruto, who stopped vomiting moments later, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

Naruto grit his teeth hard enough to hear them creak as he hissed out from his position, "Go… to Hell!" As he enforced his magic with his will as the rope anchoring the counter-weight to the flag came loose, the counter-weight swinging down moment later as the rancid pirate was thrown from the deck on to the pirates' ship, crashing into a stack of boxes which were broken. It was by sheer luck that Belle avoided being bowled over by the flying pirate as she raced for the Captain who was tied on the dais at the aft of the ship.

Groaning, Naruto stood unsteadily to his feet as he fought down the heady feeling as he leapt at the few remaining pirates.

Coming up against another pair, Naruto this time tossed his sword into the air as the pirates' eyes followed it as he slid between them, grabbing their heads as he hit them together with resounding 'crack' as he caught his sword, turning on the ball of his feet to catch the falling blade of a pirate that caused Naruto to smile.

"Oh, hello Swillian." Naruto said sarcastically as he leapt back, kicking a downed pirate aside as he was put on the defensive, blocking a side-swipe from either side before parrying a thrust. With a gleeful chuckle, who returned fire with a quick trio of swings that rang out as 'Swillian' blocked.

"Do I know you? You seem rather… annoying. And it's Captain Hook!" Hook responded with a snarl as he locked blades with Naruto, swinging at the blonde with his hook, only for the blonde to deflect Hook's blade down his arm as it sunk into his forearm and Naruto caught Hook's hook with his blade with a sadistic smirk.

"Not directly, rather I'd say you know of my father. He did give you that namesake, and it will bring me great pleasure to give a matching pair!" Naruto snarled as he leapt at the pirate captain, pulling his sword free with the nerve-ending slither of steel on steel.

Now Hook had a vicious snarl on his face as he smashed Naruto's sword aside, as he grabbed the sword with his hook, holding Naruto in place as he swung at his exposed back, only for the blonde to resourcefully use his left hand to lay his scabbard across his back, stopping the sword's progress instantly. "And it will bring me greater pleasure to rob Crocodile of his spawn!" Hook said crossly as Naruto grinned using his strength to pull Hook with him as he pulled his sword free, knocking the pirate captain down. Within seconds, the blonde had his blade to his neck.

"Put down your sword, or your lady friend gets it." A third voice said as Naruto glanced to the side, not moving his blade from Hook's neck. A man with a red bandana was holding Belle from behind, the same knife held at her neck as she looked at Naruto with fear evident in her eyes. Slowly, he pulled the sword away as Hook knocked it aside with ease, kicking him down as the black blade clattered across the deck.

"Don't you know never to bring a woman to a pirate fight?" Hook said haughtily, and turned to nod at the man holding Belle captive. "Good job Smee, now tie these two up and help me haul the treasure back." Hook ordered, and Smee got half-way through an 'Aye-aye' when Belle suddenly stomped on his exposed foot with her shoe which sported a heel in classic female fashion, digging it in as he howled, dropping the knife with a dull clatter as he began to jump around, holding his foot which Belle took advantage of as she did the only thing she had been taught to do in these situations, she kicked with in the crotch a shard as she was able, sending the larger man sprawling, his face tight as he screamed and writhed on the floor.

Rolling around, he still had the wherewithal to kick at Belle who managed to dance around the weak attacks, although he unluckily, for Naruto, kicked out the block as the wheel suddenly went berserk spinning around sending every to the ground as the ship began to pitch unpredictably as Naruto went wide-eyed.

The pitch did however, save his life as it sent Hook's executing swing off-target and biting into the wood as Naruto was thrown aside as he was hit in the face by the hilt of his own blade which he grabbed at even as his vision began producing black spots. Pushing himself up, he immediately ejected the entirety of his stomach on the deck which went in every direction due to the motion of the ship. With a resounding crash, the two ships collided.

Forcing himself to stand up steadily, Naruto grabbed on to the banister as he snarled, "Screw this!" and twisted the ring on his finger as his raven's wings sprouted from his back as he zipped at Hook who unsteadily swung at the flying Naruto. However, Naruto was just as practiced at flying as Hook was at captaining his ship, and he spun in a corkscrew, gathering his wings around him as he avoided the swing, moving passed him as he reached down, yelling, "Grab on Bookworm! Let's lose these suckers!" Even as unsteady as she was, Belle jumped up, the flying blonde grabbing her wrist as he pulled her up, her limbs splaying across his back as he stopped short to yell one final taunt at Hook.

"I'll get you Swillian and your little ship too!" With the raising of a single finger, Naruto turned and zipped away, his wings beating like a steady beat as he flipped, catching Belle across his chest as she blushed faintly as his wings reached the beat of a humming bird's as they began going faster over the waves as Naruto gulped, knowing that he was pushing himself to reach the shores.

"Why did you surrender back there?" Belle asked curiously, "I could've handled myself without you almost getting yourself killed. Please don't so that again, I don't want to be the reason you get killed, Naruto." Belle mumbled afterwards.

"Hmm, I promised I would keep you safe, but it's nice that you care." Naruto said with a rare smile which was as kind as it was soft. With that, he pushed himself harder, racing towards the far distant shore and the suffering it represented.

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry it took so long to get this chapter out but I was just blanking on it. I know several of you will not be happy with how it worked out, but it had to be done. Also, I may miss a couple more weeks because I'm going to a two-week training course/ seminar/ conference. I'll work when I can but don't expect any uploads for a few weeks. That said, I've got a surprise for you guys next chapter, half because I've decided to combine the remaining two or three chapters into one so next chapter will be the finale until we get to the real world.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm back from my training course/seminar and let me say, having a job sucks. I'm still somewhat new to the working class and things don't look like there going to improve anytime soon, so… I said this would be the last chapter until we got to canon timeline, buuuut, I figured I'd make it an even ten. Next chapter will be a bit strange, but I'll tell you more when we get there.**

**Commitment**

Naruto groaned as he gulped down the rising sick, practically falling out of the wagon that dropped him and Belle off. With mumbled thanks, and few gold pieces, Naruto headed through the trees towards his father's castle/mansion. Personally, he would've preferred to walk, but he landed far off-course from his destination and was forced between a cart ride to the appropriated village, or a seven-hour hike. For the first time, Belle had put her foot down, stating simply that he was welcome to do as he pleased, but she was taking the cart. Honestly, he was glad although he claimed he was too weak to argue.

Belle followed along silently although the blonde could sense her growing anxiety since she was about to face down her employer _after_ she ran off without permission.

"Don't worry about it, Bookworm. I'm sure he won't kill you, your entire family, and enslave anyone you've helped." Naruto said, whispering, 'He might just kill your entire family though.' He received no answer as he shrugged his shoulders, pushing a bush out of the way to spot the climbing spire in the distance.

Naruto knocked twice before shoving the door open, announcing his presence with a loud, "I'm back, Father! I got some interesting stuff this time, and I ran into an old family friend!" Gesturing Belle in through the open door, he slammed it behind her.

Turning back, he was met by the impassive countenance of his father.

"Well well, it would seem the help has finally returned to her place. I don't recall releasing you from your deal." He said evenly as Belle bowed down, prostrating herself.

"Please, I'm sorry for leaving without permission, I just…" She trailed off and Rumple looked down at her with raised eyebrows.

"You just what?" He asked, Belle mumbling, Naruto not offering her any help as he strode past her, heading for the table in the main hall, pausing momentarily to place the crown upon his father's head. The only signs of his father's thanks were the twitch of his lip upwards and the soft chuckle Naruto's trained ears picked up on.

Seeing that no answer was forthcoming from the brunette servant, Rumple growled, waving his hand. "Fine, good help is nearly impossible to find. You will have only your shirked duties met by the time you lay down tonight and there will be no further punishment than customary. Now be gone!" He snarled as Belle nodded sharply, racing from the antechamber to get to work. Turning impetuously, he seated himself across from his son who had conjured a plate of food as was his preference.

"You mentioned a family friend?" He said impatiently, and Naruto snorted.

"Your old friend lacking a limb?" Naruto said deplorably, rolling his eyes at his father's lack of reaction. The only sound for a few minutes were of Naruto's chewing before he lifted his cup to drain it. He resisted the urge to cringe to the foul liquid, you'd think with all magic at his disposal, Rumplestiltskin could make a drop of tea, but alas, twas not to be.

"And his head rests at the bottom of the sea." Naruto's father stated; not doubting his son's ability to finish off the single-handed pirate single-handedly. He gave small giggle at that.

"No, I left him with all his organs and limbs in his possession." Naruto said, producing a small saucer with a slice of pie as he cut the tip off, lifting it to his mouth.

It was stopped by the steady hand of his father. "You're losing your edge. A few years, hell, a few months ago you would've gutted him and hung his body from the crow's nest." Rumple sighed, and Naruto looked at him with an apathetic look.

"No, I'm losing my patience. I've grown to love my particular brand of execution, and that requires time and supplies, only one of which were available at the time." Naruto retorted, placing the pie in his mouth as he sighed contently.

"I didn't have much choice. As I said, I didn't have time, which took the choice out of my hands since I did promise you I'd bring Belle back safely. And I even got her to stand up to people; she'll be a fighter before long." Naruto laughingly trilled, a habit he picked up from his father. "I still don't quite know what you see in her, but I wouldn't mind if I were to call her 'Mother'. Not that I ever knew my real mother." Naruto said bitingly as he stood, taking a second sip of the tea to wash down the pie only to gag this time.

"And for God's sake, don't let her get away if for no other reason than she can steep a wonderful decanter of tea." Naruto snarked, stalking from the room as his cloak fluttered behind him, his sword setting the pace as it bounced against his thigh. "I'm going to bed, and I have business to attend to tomorrow, so don't bother me!" The blonde snarled, flicking his wrist as he vanished in a plume of smoke.

Despite his words of business to attend too, Naruto meandered around chateau Rumplestiltskin all day, wandering the halls as old memories surfaced. He recalled when he was younger running through these halls, and as he got older he was allowed into more and more rooms until he reached adulthood and he left on his first adventure to retrieve some magical artifact that ended up being only a rumor.

Sitting in the library for a few hours, he found each and every one of his favorite books, slipping them into his bag. Each touch of his fingers on the worn covers and spines brought emotions buried deep to the surface.

A short stint at the study's solitude brought him to upending his coin-purse, counting each coin meticulously before replacing them. Beginning to rise, he saw his hands, and thought of the years of magical training he'd endured to get to his current level. In a rare display of true anger, he smashed his hand down on the desk, carving furrows in the lacquered wood as he turned and left the room in a long stride.

Entering the main room, he saw his father at his wheel, weaving golden thread in a perfect curling pile. Turning silently, a large raven flew in through the open window, lighting on Naruto shoulder as he looked it in the eye, his mind going to the black-hearted Queen, as well as his fellow student, Regina. A quick series of clicks sent the bird back the way it came, and Naruto rushed from the room, his mind made up as he grabbed his traveling cloak, opening the door as he shut it behind him silently with magic. He didn't look back, nor did he notice that the signet ring he'd deliberately left in his room had reappeared in his pocket.

Shaking his head, Naruto banished the thoughts. He didn't realize when he'd slipped into his memories, but he smirked at the similar path he was taking this time, as he rose from his high-backed chair, and headed for the door, pulling on his Queen's Guard cloak, strapping his blade to his side, making a quick side-trip to The Vault to grab some supplies, then checking that his bag was still attached to his belt as he opened the door, closing it silently behind himself.

_"__Last time I left to change my life by joining Regina because I was angry at my own strength. This time I'm joining her because-"_ His thoughts were cut off by the soft sound of Belle behind him.

"Where are you going?" The brunette asked curiously as she dusted off her apron, beside her was a basket full of apples.

"Home." He said with a genuine smile, a flick of his finger bringing an apple to his hand as he slipped it into his bag. While his hand was there, he reached around until he found what he was searching for, the object he'd collected in the Goblin's Last Bastion. Satisfied with everything, he started walking forwards, vanishing in a swirl of smoke.

He reappeared still walking, his footsteps echoing across the polished floor as he entered the throne room of his Queen. She stood from her throne, meeting him halfway with an angry expression.

"Where have you been, you can't just run off at your leisure, I thought we were clear on that when I appointed you Captain of my Guard?" Regina ordered, her hands curled on her hips. Naruto noticed she was wearing a black shimmering dress he'd never seen before. He would've remembered the way it clung to her hips.

"Well, Empress, may I say that you look astonishingly gorgeous, but I think you're missing something." Naruto said sappily as he reached into his bag to pull out a silver crown which was adorned around the band with gold inlay and a symmetrical pattern of alternating rubies and sapphires. From there it ballooned upwards into a bulb of midnight-colored satin, topped with a flawless circular diamond that caught the light, making it shimmer an iridescent.

"Oh my God, it's perfect, what is it?" Regina asked levelly, smiling good-natured at Naruto to show she wasn't really angry with him.

"It is a crown that turns you into my loving slave." Naruto said haughtily, placing it gently on her head, after first removing her usual crown.

"Really?" Regina asked with mock-skepticism.

"Yep, now kiss me." Naruto said, bending down as Regina smiled, pressing her lips to his as the couple embraced, having missed each other.

"Oh, I _do_ love you. You weren't lying." Regina said in a sappy, love-struck voice.

"Careful Empress, you keep saying such sweet things and I'll think you're Snowy under a spell." Naruto whispered into her ear, sending a flush down her face and neck.

"Then I'll just have to do a few things that Snow White would _never_ do for her sickening beau." Regina mumbled back, her voice sultry in the blonde's ear. His face flushed to match the Queen's.

"If I didn't want you so badly, those words would be ruining the mood. Sadly, we have business to attend to." Naruto said, walking away as Regina groaned, following behind him with a pout.

"What exactly is this crown that you took so long acquiring? I've never known you to be one to collect idle treasures." The raven-haired Queen questioned as Naruto turned with a shy smirk, a look his lover was unaccustomed to seeing.

"That, my precious Empress, is the coronation crown of the Goblin Empire." He explained, and seeing her clueless look, continued, "The reigning king would give the silver band as a betrothal gift, if she accepted it, the cap would be added and she would be allowed to wear the entire thing on her coronation day so the entire kingdom could see that she was the one whom their king had chosen." He opened his mouth to keep going, only for Regina to place a single finger over his mouth to silence him.

"Do you mean…?" She trailed off, Naruto knowing the end of the question.

"Yes, I would like to ask your hand in marriage, if you would have me. I'm not exactly royalty, or even a noble, but I love you very dearly, Regina." Naruto rambled, not able to meet her eyes as she lifted her former crown from his hands, the blonde looking up to watch her as she lifted it, placing the simple crown upon his head.

"If we're going to do this proper, then you need to wear a crown too, Naruto." Regina said demurely, straightening his cloak, not looking him in the face before she suddenly tackled him to the ground, capturing his lips as she released her feelings for the blonde. Kissing him deeply, she slipped her tongue into his mouth. Releasing her mouth, Naruto trailed kisses down her neck as he sucked on her pleasure point, and his fellow apprentice moaned deeply.

"Hello dear, quit rolling on the ground with the common rabble." A drawling voice said, and Regina stiffened before climbing to her feet with some help by Naruto, who turned with a bored glare at the visitor.

"Hello Cora." He growled. No love was lost between the two as Regina walked back to her throne, sitting down as Cora brushed passed Naruto, who grit his teeth tightly as he contemplated using magic to turn her into a mangy cat.

"What do you need Mother?" Regina asked in the same tone as Naruto had moments earlier. It used to be that she couldn't speak to her mother without losing her temper, but years of Naruto steady presence had tempered her control.

Cora looked pointedly towards Naruto, who crossed his arms, pretending that she wasn't there. "Boy, there are private family matters to be discussed, so be gone." Cora ordered; waving Naruto away as he uncrossed his arms, looking passed the rude woman at his fiancée.

"I'll leave you be when either my Empress or my wife-to-be wishes me too. Seeing as you are neither, I shall listen to yo no more than a serving wench." Naruto said in an icy tone as Regina sighed, gesturing for Naruto to leave.

"In an effort to avoid a fight in _my_ throne room, could you give us some privacy?" Regina asked imploringly as Cora smirked at Naruto victoriously. "The sooner we are done discussing whatever my mother requires of me, the sooner she will leave, and we can resume our previous activities." Regina said as Naruto nodded, turning on his heel as he left with a soft swish of his cloak. However, he turned back at the threshold to question Regina.

"Did a blonde woman called Emma appear sometime in the past few days?" He asked as Regina paused, looking confused by the question before nodding hesitantly.

"Yes, I placed her in the dungeon since she refused to obey me." Regina answered as Naruto nodded sharply, leaving as the doors slammed behind him with a twitch of his fingers.

(Three Years Later)

Snow happily kissed her husband, 'Charming' as he had come to be known by way of his now wife Snow White. They had been married ten months now, and had lived in the castle once occupied by The Evil Queen Regina, Snow's step-mother, nearly twice as long. Currently, they were sitting in their shared throne room, embracing each other.

They had just returned from a 'meeting' with Rumplestiltskin who was locked in the dungeon as he informed them of their impending destruction courtesy of Regina, as if they weren't already aware of her declared revenge, but he refused to say what her big plan was beyond giggling impishly.

"Hello, Snow Blight, I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop by for old time's sake." A pleased voice said as the pair jumped apart, Charming grabbing his sword as he pointed it at the sudden third occupant of the room, Naruto, who wasn't phased by the hostility as he met their eyes evenly without a shred of fear.

"Oh, you can put down the sword Prince Farming, we both know how this will end if we bring our blades into it. Besides, I'm here peacefully; you see I haven't drawn my sword yet." Naruto said as Snow stood, both now reigning Queen and King approached him hesitantly.

"Then exactly why are you here, Naruto?" Snow asked as Naruto tipped his head to the side as he looked at the brunette with half-lidded eyes.

"I heard you had my father in your dungeon. I'd like to see him before the world ends." Naruto said, noticing the echoing of boots on the floor behind him as guards began showing up.

"And why would you think that we'd let you anywhere near your father? How do we know you won't just help break him out?" Charming asked as Naruto smirked slightly.

"It would seem Prince Pretty Boy does have some brain cells. I promise I won't break out my father, and you should know how our family is about our word?" Naruto assured him as he looked passed him at Snow White.

"Your father liked making deals, so how about we make one with you? We'll allow you to see your father, if you tell us how to stop Regina's plan?" Snow said as Naruto smiled softly, running a hand through his hair as he looked at her with his electric blue eyes.

"I agree, although you'll have to wait until after I see my father. I don't know what Regina's planning, that's why I'm here, to find out why she refuses to tell me what the plan is." Naruto said as Charming frowned at the plan.

"Fine, but what insurance do we have that once you have what you want, you won't attack us and leave us for dead?" Snow responded as Naruto reached to his side, pulling his pitch-black blade free of its oiled sheath, silently.

"When we get down to the dungeon, I'll relinquish my blade until I give you what you ask, and then I'll leave without touching a single hair on your precious little heads so long as you give me the same courtesy. I promise." Naruto said as he gestured passed him.

After a short deliberation, Snow led the way, while Charming followed behind Naruto, watching him closely with a small contingent of three guards. It took little more than fifteen minutes before they reached a wooden door set into the hewn rock wall.

"Okay, he's just on the other side so give your sword here." Charming ordered as Naruto shrugged his shoulders, flipping the blade into the air as it sunk into the stone block roof of the tunnel like a hot knife through butter.

Before he could say anything, one of the guards growled, reaching for the blade's hilt only to fall back screaming as blood streamed from his heavily scarred hand as Naruto looked at him with soulless eyes. "I forgot to mention, my blade is made of Shadow Steel, so I wouldn't advice touching it until I get back." He said as he went through the door, Snow and Charming following behind him as Snow looked confused at Charming's face twisted in a mixture of disbelief and rage, although Naruto could also sense a third emotion, fear, in his glare which bore into the back of the blonde's head.

"What's Shadow Steel, and why do you look so angry? I don't like that he hurt of the men without breaking our deal, but…" Snow trailed off as Charming bent down, whispering into her ear.

"There's no need to whisper, Prince Farming, I am both intimately familiar with what Shadow Steel is, as well as possess the ability to hear you without all the back ground noise drowning you out." Naruto said, not looking back as he turned a corner, entering another long corridor hewn from the rock.

"Shadow Steel is…" Charming started as Naruto stopped, turning on his heel as he crossed his arms.

"Shadow Steel is considered to be one of the most expensive substances known, worthy more than ten times its weight in dwarven gold. Its true value is due to the fact it is the most coveted metal in terms of weapon or armor." Naruto explained as Charming glared at him, the blonde ignoring the heated glare.

"If it's so valuable, why have I never heard of it? For that matter, why wasn't it an option when we overthrew Regina? If it's as good as it sounds, the casualties could've been significantly less!" Snow shouted at her husband, whose eyes grew solemn as Naruto once more was the voice of information.

"Shadow Steel was especially valuable during its emergence and implementation during the Third Era, more commonly known as the Black Inquisition when witches and warlocks were hunted like animals due to Shadow Steel creation process that rendered it immune, or at least mostly resistant to most if not all strains of magic." Naruto said before pushing off the wall.

"I think we've dallied enough, Snow Blight, if you would kindly point the direction, we can be moving." Naruto suggested forcefully as Snow shook her head, her fingers gouging into her palms as her knuckles went as white as her namesake.

"Not until I learn why this Shadow Steel wasn't used during the coup!" Snow shouted as Naruto sighed, Charming lost in his thoughts as Naruto looked at the queen with cold eyes.

"Shadow Steel is simple to make, depending on who you ask. The process is little different to traditional forging methods for steel, with the key and only exception being in the use of blood instead of water to temper the purity of the metal." Naruto paused as he looked ahead once more, although he continued speaking.

"The purer the blood, the stronger the blade and better it keeps an edge and absorbs impacts. However, due to this distinction, you need a new pool of blood for each piece forged. An entire trough of innocent blood shed for the sole purpose of making a sword. But what truly makes it special is how it's keyed to each individual bloodline. You see, once the piece was finished, I had to cover the entire thing in _my_ blood, and then only I can use it, or someone with my blood like my child." Naruto said as he gestured passed him down the tunnel as Snow was frozen aghast at his revelation.

"You do realize that unless I'm allowed an audience with my father, you will never learn how to stop my beloved's plan, nor am I obligated to spare your lives. If you think my blade is that sinister now, you don't want me to cut you with it. It makes you feels as if your blood has been replaced with dragon fire, a sensation I believe that would kill most simply by shock." Naruto hissed in a voice that could've frozen a hearth.

Snow nodded, gulping down her rising bile as she scurried passed Naruto, and Charming glaring vengeful at the blonde who followed as they resumed their trip.

After a few twists and turns, the trio was in front of the makeshift cell that held the Dark One, Rumplestiltskin, and Naruto's father.

"Hello, father, I'd heard that you'd been captured, but I didn't really believe the rumors so I had to come and find out myself. Tell me, how did you allow yourself to be captured?" Naruto asked in a monotonous voice as Rumple giggled, sticking his hands through the bars of the cage as he looked at his son who now stood taller than him.

"Oh it doesn't really matter, I'm still in this cage and nothing is going to change that. So why don't you tell me why you're really here… son." Rumple said as Naruto frowned, fingering the pouch at his side.

"I assumed that you would know what Regina is planning as her grand finale. After all, you did give her the idea and taught her everything you thought she would need to fulfill your plan. I know you've been grooming her for years for something concerning my brother, so tell me what it is." Naruto said, and even Charming and Snow could feel the resentment rolling off the blonde right then as Rumple giggled.

"I really wish you two had gotten along better in your younger years. That's all I wanted, was for my sons to be happy, but instead you've hated him for something he did as a child. This will be your second chance, a way to reconcile after all these years and then you can get along like brothers should." Rumple said happily as Naruto punched the iron bars angrily.

"NO! That's your twisted fantasy, YOUR second chance after he abandoned us! I want to hate him for what he did, but all I can do is hate the fact that no matter what I do, following in your footsteps, always being by your side, but even now, you'll always choose him over ME! You want us all to be a perfect little family, but I have some bad news Father… life doesn't work like that! I'm going to give you an ultimatum, and regardless of how you answer, your perfect little family that you want, will… be… GONE!" Naruto roared as he stomped away the poisonous aura emanating from the blonde nearly suffocating in the chamber as Snow and Charming held their breath.

"You remember when Belle ran away? I bet you never expected her to be part of our twisted family, but she's just as crucial a part as me or… _Him._ Well guess what Father, she didn't run away. Regina and I were out on a stroll, basking in each other's presence, we'd just destroyed a village that refused to bow down to her in favor of Snow White. We found Belle walking down the road away from your castle, Regina had her captured but I managed to _persuade_ her not to execute Belle, instead she was left in my care in a private cell adjacent to my room right here in this castle. We bonded, although she wanted to be released, I couldn't do that, not when I thought she'd betrayed you." Naruto paused as he leaned against Rumple's cell, the scaly male lacking a smile for once as Naruto smirked.

"One day however, she told me why she was on that road that day. She was heading to the nearby village to buy you a present. She said she'd seen a locket in a shopkeeper's window, and thought you'd like it since you were always talking about your son, not me, _him,_ but I pushed that to the back of my mind. I made a deal with her; she'd stay in my custody until you realized you shared her feelings. I'd seen the way you looked at her; her room is still untouched isn't it? So Father, tell me what Regina has planned so you may actually get to be with someone who truly loves you." Naruto said simply as Rumple looked at him in disbelief as the blonde looked at him with a mixture of apathy and consideration.

"But, I promise, if you don't give me the information I want, then you will never see a hair on her head, father. But, you give the word, and she'll wait until the end of the world for you. We both know that you'll get out one day; eventually someone will get desperate enough and they'll spring you. So tell me Father, are you going to have a son, or a son and wife?" Naruto said as both Snow and Charming looked at the blonde with wide-eyes.

Rumple wasn't far away from the feeling as he looked into his son's eyes, recognizing the look in them; after all, the very same look had lived in his own eyes since he became the Dark One. He knew also that there was nothing he could say to Naruto to deter him from this path.

"She's using the Dark Curse. You just missed her." Rumple said defeated as Naruto pulled away, gasping as he turned on his heel, heading back down the corridor as the now reigning regents followed, only to be brought up short by Rumple's voice.

"Do you forgive me…Naruto?" Rumple asked as the former Captain of the Queen's Royal Guard sighed.

"I never blamed you, Father, that's the problem. No matter how angry I get, no matter what you do wrong to me, I love you. Maybe that's why I can understand that you still love Bae. I only hope you can forgive my actions." Naruto said as he walked away, mumbling the last part so as not to be heard by the others.

Returning to the guards standing at the entrance to the dungeons, Charming grabbed Naruto's shoulder as the blonde looked at him with soulless eyes.

"Hey, Naruto, we kept up our part of the deal, you got to see your Father. It may not have gone like you thought it would, but you still promised to tell us how to stop Regina's plan!" Charming ordered as Naruto blinked confusedly before looking passed Charming at Snow who was looking at the floor.

"If you think I'll tell you… you'll have to kill me." Naruto said with smirk as Charming growled, punching Naruto who leaned to the side, allowing Charming to punch the stone wall as he hissed, nursing his injured hand as Snow stepped up.

"You promised you would tell us how to stop this Dark Curse." Snow reminded him as he smirked, infuriating Charming.

"Yes, and now I'm telling you you'll have to kill me." Naruto responded.

"Over our dead bodies!" Charming snarled as Naruto rolled his eyes.

"No, mine." Naruto said as he felt a sword point touch his back.

"Answer them, or you die." The guard ordered as Naruto smirked.

"That's the idea." The blonde said, offering up no more information than he already had as they were left in a standoff.

"You should know especially should know that I always keep my promises, Snow. I never killed you did I?" Naruto asked as Snow gasped, looking down as Charming looked at the pair confused.

"What are you talking about? What's he mean Snow?" The Prince-come-King requested.

"I was nobody until I fulfilled my promise to Regina. I promised to bring her Snow White, and in exchange I would be given the job of her personal executioner. My first public execution was your wife. I had… a certain flair for killing those accused of breaking the law." Naruto said, glancing at the brunette who now refused to meet his eyes.

"I was renowned for my sense of justice enacted through my executive style. You see, I would allow those I was designated to execute to choose their trial. Well, _most_ of them." Naruto said, holding the small group's attention raptly.

"I would visit them in the dungeons, and give them three items: a dull axe, a wooden sword, and an empty quiver. If they chose the axe, it was considered a confession of guilt, and I would give them a quick and painless death for their honesty. However, if they chose the sword, they were given a trial by combat, usually against a private in the Black Knights, though I was known to take their place if the situation called for it, such as when the accused was captured as a traitor. Your wife was one of those that I didn't give a choice; she got the quiver." Naruto said heartlessly as Snow gasped, holding back her tears as the memories came flying back.

"The quiver was a trial by their fellow peers. I would tell them the arrangement if they weren't already aware of it. I would escort the accused to the city proper and they would be bound in stocks for all to see. I would announce what they were accused of, and tell the accused that they could say anything they wanted to get someone to believe they were innocent. Of course, if someone truly believed they were innocent, they had to take there place in the stocks. At the end of the day, I would give the verdict. If someone didn't take their place, they were punished in varying fashions according to their accused crimes. If someone offered to take there place, the accused was set free with no punishment. But the person who took there place would suffer the punishment in their place." Naruto said, looking at the crying Queen with barely a hint of empathy.

"Thrice your wife found herself in my court, and thrice was she given the quiver. The first time, five had to take her place, the second, ten, and the final twenty 'innocent' people were punished in her place. Likewise, thrice I was punished for allowing Snow to live, but I knew what I was doing. The war dragged on an extra year because of my actions on that platform. I explained to Regina, Snow would gladly die but knowing that innocent people were being killed for her," Naruto chuckled as Snow sobbed, Charming glaring fierily at the blonde who shrugged off the look.

"That's my point; I promised each and every time, that I wouldn't touch Snow if she was pardoned, and that each and every time I could make her beg for me to bloody her snow-white skin. I never did, and she always did. So, I'll say it one last time, if you want to stop Regina from casting the Dark Curse, you'll have to kill me. Although, maybe you just need a little incentive. So in the words of my Mother-in-law to-be, 'Off with his head!'" Naruto said, and before anyone could react, he spun on the ball of his foot, his cloak billowing out as he perfectly caught his blade as it fell from the roof, bringing it bear across the guard's neck, spilling his wine-colored blood on the floor and walls.

With minimal effort, he brought his blade up to block Charming's strike as he smirked, pushing him back as he turned to block Charming's follow-up by flipping the blade's sheath across his back, impeding the last guard's sword with his black blade as he swung down, barely breaking the skin on his leg as Naruto elbowed Charming in the face, as he flowed into his next attack, grabbing Charming's collar while hammering a snap-kick into the guard's armored chest, sending him hurtling back as the High Executioner head butted Charming, crumpling him as he found the point of Naruto's sword barely touching his throat.

"The last time I saw your wife, I made a finally promise, that I would take the life of one of her precious people. Just remember Snow," Naruto pulled away, glancing at the brunette knowingly, sheathing his blade as he strode away, his cloak fluttering as he vanished into a swirl of smoke, while Snow helped her husband up, nursing his bleeding nose, "I _always_ keep my promises."

Naruto exited the swirl outside the castle, cursing the wards surrounding the monument to prevent unwanted intrusions by either of the happy couple's magical parents. However, Naruto was not deterred as easily as he sped towards the side, leaping up as he caught a low-hanging chain, swinging up effortlessly as he ascended the tower-castle within minutes with his granted agility, landing in a crouch on the balcony connected to her personal room.

On the wall hung her enchanted mirror, which made Naruto both growl and smirk in equal parts at the thought of the genie trapped inside the glass. A fire was crackling in the fireplace, giving the usually drafty and cold lofty room, a warm, welcoming, and homey feeling.

It was empty of most decorations, save the gifts Naruto had bequeathed unto her at his pleasure, each one punctuated with a happy memory that made Naruto smile. However, one thing stood out immediately as he ran towards the slumped body of Henry, Regina's father.

Naruto wished he could've had the relationship he had with Regina's father with his own father, but he held to the archetype of Momma's Boy just as Regina did as a Daddy's Girl. Although Naruto admittedly did influence his own mother, well step-mother, Belle, who treated him like a brother, as he did in return.

"Oh Regina…" Naruto mumbled as he felt Henry's faint pulse, recognizing the symptoms associated with losing one's heart. If he was younger, he might be able to recover better, but Henry was more sagely old man than knight-in-shining armor, and so the best he could do was gesture weakly towards the north-east, into the dead woods that Naruto likes to wander during the winter months, when snow clung to the branches, purifying the usually dark woods a pristine white.

He'd never admit it to his fiancée, but at times he longed to write poetry comparing her beauty to the fresh snow, but he knew better by now than to mention Regina in comparison to anything associated to Snow White. Except the one time when he managed to salvage his manhood by mentioning he didn't care if he had to kill and pluck every swan in the kingdom so she could have her dream 'virgin' white wedding dress. From that day forward, she no longer was as shy about showing him affection in public, and she all but demanded that he hold her hand when they went out.

Idlely, the blonde wondered what the 'Villains' would think of the couple's innocent affections. They might even rescind his membership card if they knew some of the things he and Regina indulged in. Not that he cared.

Sighing, he knew it fell to him to right things, and so with a heavy heart he turned, pressing a soft hand to Henry's chest as a silent promise went between the two, _"I'll bring her back, I promise.",_ and vanished in a swirl of golden smoke as he entered the woods, already spotting the rising column of black smoke in the distance as he began sprinting towards his beloved.

"This is the beginning of _my_ Happily-Ever-After!" Regina announced to the small assembled group of creatures around her. The small circle included her raven which acted as the emissary between her and Naruto when they were separated, a tree-like creature that leaned as close as its rooted trunk would allow, and an impish cretin that was licking its lips hungrily.

"Regina, stop!" Naruto ordered as the former Queen paused, looking back as the sun-kissed blonde entered the clearing, his cloak fluttering behind him from his quick all-out sprint. The Evil Queen smiled at his appearance as he ran a hand through his wild, blonde locks.

"I was hoping you would be here, Naruto, to see the culmination of all my hard work, I would've told you, but I wanted it to be a surprise." Regina said, putting her arms around his neck as she stood on her toes to kiss him heatedly. "I've already started the ritual, all I have to do is add the last piece and we can head off to some place where that insufferable Snow White and her boy toy can't stand in the way of our love." Regina said, twirling away as she giggled in a way that would've sent cold chills down almost anyone's spine, except Naruto, who knew that it was one of her quirks when planning pain for someone.

"Yes, I spoke to my father. Really though, the Dark Curse, don't you think that's a little overkill just to have your Happily-Ever-After?" Naruto asked as he followed after her as she stopped in front of the large fire, slowly opening the chest on the ground to reveal a slowly beating ruby-colored heart.

"_Our _Happily-Ever-After." She corrected as Naruto sighed, trailing a soft kiss down her porcelain neck.

"I've already got my Happily-Ever-After with you, my beautiful Empress. I don't need to go to some other world to be with you, not when I have this moment right now." He whispered as she blushed softly, leaning into his side.

"How did I ever deserve someone as adoring as you?" Regina asked softly, more to herself than him, although he still answered her with a soft kiss.

"If I do this though, it won't be a moment anymore… it'll be forever." Regina said as Naruto smiled against her cheek.

"Forever?" He questioned.

"Forever. No more distractions." She said simply, lifting the heart from the box with care before throwing it into the fire. She didn't notice how Naruto frowned as the heart fizzled and popped as it hit the fire. She did notice when he gasped loudly, clutching his chest as he fell to his knees.

"Naruto! What's wrong?!" Regina shouted as she fell down, pulling his head into her lap as he looked at her with loving eyes as he struggled to breath.

"I am so happy that you would love me this way, but I know, ultimately, between me and your father, you could never choose. The one you sacrificed would be the wrong one, so I switched out our hearts earlier today. I have always and shall forever love you, my precious empress. I wish I could've lived to see your Happily-Ever-After, but to be able to cause it, is just as preferred. No matter what anyone tells you, you deserve a Happily-Ever-After just as much as anyone else. Give them hell in the new world, and never forget, our love. Goodbye, my most precious one." With those words, he went limp and Naruto Gold (Uzumaki), Captain of the Queen's Royal Guard, High Executioner, Brother of Baelfire, Regina's fellow Apprentice, Son of Rumplestiltskin, and Regina's True Love… died.

**A/N: So guys, what did you think? That concludes the Enchanted Forest, except in flashbacks, and next chapter I get to make a unique chapter that was my idea. I haven't gotten to watch the new season that just came out, mainly due to my tendency to allow multiple episodes to stack up so I can spend all day watching them, so no spoilers. Now I know you people voted for Naruto to arrive on his own, but many will probably find fault with the way I plan on doing it, but I have plans that require Naruto to be around when Graham is still alive, so try to under stand please when we get there. Now, I need an opinion on something.**

**Do you guys want to see Naruto's time in the real world, or do you want me to jump straight to when canon starts. I ask because some things that will happen at the start of canon will require some back story, two things I can think of off the top of my well styled hair.**

**Oh yes, before I forget, how do you guys feel about lemons in this story? I know I wrote my first and only one in my other X-over, but I never really got a clear answer one way or the other so just let me know.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Sup guys, I'm back from my family vacation so I'm uploading a bit late this week, hope you don't mind. I mention this chapter might seem a little strange, but it's… I don't have an excuse, sorry.**

**Quantum Physics Ehh**

Naruto rose silently from the leaf covered ground, looking around as he couldn't see anything. Rolling over, he pushed himself up, dusting off the foliage that clung to him. Seeing a slight glint on the ground, he bent down, grasping a small silver ring with a small dent which he slid into his pocket as he looked around for a familiar sight to tell him where he was. Not seeing anything, he started walking in a random direction, his sheathed sword setting the pace as he wandered sedately through the creepy woods.

Thirty minutes later, he came upon a cobblestone road leading into the distance in either direction. The road vanished into gloom in the distance so Naruto couldn't see anything in the distance. Before he thought about it, he found himself walking down the road, no sound coming from his shoes on the stone.

He had no idea how much time passed as he walked down the road, the trees overhead blocking out the sun and moon, and yet somehow he could see through the murky light. He stopped counting after 20 hours, and yet he didn't feel tired nor hungry nor even thirsty. It was as if the hours passed only in his head as the light never changed.

Something in him knew something was wrong with this place as he took the ring from his pocket, tossing it ahead of him into the darkness as it bounced along on its side. However, minutes later he felt something hit his foot as he looked down to see the same silver ring resting on the road. It even had the same dent as he felt a growing chill begin to climb up his spine as he replaced the ring in his pocket, before racing forwards, closing his eyes as he pushed himself, pouring as much speed as possible into the mad dash towards whatever.

Hours bled into days, and days into weeks, and weeks into a month as he traveled down the road, never seeming to get anywhere. It was Day 42 when he saw the first sign of life, a spire climbing into the sky. It had no visible roof, probably above the clouds, no windows, but Naruto didn't care as he headed for the spire, yet he refused to diverge from the road. He'd made that mistake already walking a short distance back into the woods to look for something, anything that stood out. When he'd turned back to the road it was gone, and he was forced to spend several hours randomly searching until he found it again.

Three days later, Naruto noticed the trees starting to thin out as he could see a bit more of the spire, other spire's roofs gathered around it. Five days after that, the trees stopped as he came to a small field that only looked 100 feet across, but took him nearly three hours to cross as he came to a open gate with a man sitting by it. Inside he could see people walking around happily, kids chasing each other, adults conversing and a few even sitting together with held hands and joined lips.

"Hello; welcome to our wonderful kingdom!" The man by the door said cheerily as Naruto smiled, feeling a sense of peace wash over him. "Would you like to come in and stay a while, the King is supposed to appear soon, and then his court will be open. I'd recommend you start there, the lines are usually _very_ long and the King's a busy man." The man said as Naruto looked at him clearly.

He was maybe 5' 11", although it was hard to tell while he was sitting down on that wooden chair. He had messy black hair that seemed blue in the light, with freckles that gave him a child-like appearance. His lips were upturned cheerfully as he smiled at Naruto, and the blonde felt like the man was trustworthy. He wore simple clothes, a long leather coat with an off-white shirt, a pale yellow belt looped through a pair of dark cloth pants which hung over the man's bare feet.

"There are a lot of people going to see the King today, but I think I can get you right up at the front if you hurry." The man said; extending his hand behind him as Naruto looked longingly into the courtyard filled with people, all happily talking, playing, and enjoying each other's company.

"O-okay." Naruto said hesitantly. He wanted to ask who the King was, and what this place was, but stifled the questions so he didn't seem rude or ungrateful.

"Great, now I'll just need a small fee to enter the kingdom and you'll be all set." The man said, producing a clipboard from nowhere, although Naruto was more worried about the payment.

"I-I don't have anything to pay with, sorry." Naruto said, taking an unconscious step back as he saw the happy man's face turn dark for a second before he smiled at the blonde once more.

"Nothing made of gold or maybe silver?" he asked imploringly as Naruto almost took the ring out, but he paused.

"No." He lied as the man 'tskk'd.

"What about that ring?" He asked, as Naruto looked at him suspiciously.

"What ring?" he asked, using his life skills to be as convincing as possible.

"The one on your finger." He gestured towards Naruto's left hand. The blonde looked down confusedly, seeing the silver ring on his finger just as the man said.

"N-NO, you can't have it." Naruto said warily, even though he was wondering what was going on mentally. Why was he getting defensive over a ring?

"Come on, it doesn't look that important. It doesn't have anything set in it; it even has a dent in it." He asked forcefully, looking at Naruto with eyes that seemed to leak charisma as Naruto reached up, twisting the ring before grabbing the hilt of his blade which hung at his side, pulling it out.

"You'd kill a defenseless man just to keep a dingy ring?" The guardian asked disappointedly, only for Naruto to flip the grip on the sword.

"No, take my sword instead." Naruto said, shoving the sword into the man's hands only for him to chuckle.

"Sorry, violence is strictly prohibited here, so we have no need for weapons, you sword is worth even less than that dinged up ring. So how about it, your worthless ring to see the King?" The gate guardian asked imploringly as Naruto took his sword back, sheathing it.

"I-I don't know." Naruto said, holding his head as he felt a crushing weight on his head.

"Well, you better decide soon because the court could be in any minute, and you don't want to miss that." He said as Naruto took another step back, looking towards the woods. Looking back towards the man in the chair, he was shocked as he started to stand, and just kept standing as his body seemed to soar into the sky, towering over Naruto.

"Give me the ring now, or you'll be too late!" The giant ordered as Naruto felt for the first time certainty in his choice.

"NO, I don't care what happens to me, you aren't getting this ring!" He shouted as the man growled, and Naruto did the only thing he could think to do, he turned tail and started to run away.

Only to come face-to-face with an elderly man.

"I was really surprised that you were willing to give up your sword over that ring." The man said as he chuckled light-heartedly and this time Naruto didn't feel the creeping chill he did before.

"It would seem that the prediction was correct after all." He said as Naruto looked confused as the man walked towards him.

"What prediction?" Naruto asked as the elderly man pointed passed him.

"I think he should be the one to tell you." The blonde turned to look, expecting the giant to be towering over him still, only to find that somehow the light had changed as a golden yellow-orange spread over the plain as Naruto saw that not only was the guardian gone, but the gate was shut and no sound could be heard within the city.

But standing in front of the shut gate was a man close to Naruto's age, in fact that seemed to share a similar taste in clothing as he approached the stationary blonde, his long black cloak fluttering behind him. His dark grey muscle shirt revealed that while the man wasn't ripped, he had enough muscle that, when combined with the look in his eyes and his gait, he could easily handle himself in a fight. His midnight blue pants were tucked crisply into a pair of inky, pristine combat boots. At his side, a black blade hung loosely, which set off Naruto's danger senses as the blue-eyed man smirked, brushing his wild blonde hair back.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked warily as the man smiled, as if he had pulled a prank on the man in front of him.

"The King of the Afterlife, the Judge of Souls, the Inescapable Thief, but you can call me Death." Death answered and Naruto jumped as his own voice answered him.

"W-Why do you look like that?" Naruto asked as the man shrugged his shoulders, which had an interesting effect as he seemed to change as a bottomless mist washed over Death's body, leaving him in a long, tight midnight blue dress that emphasized his, now her, desirable curves, a long mane of black hair fell down her neck as she smirked at the awestruck Naruto.

"It was either this or that." Death responded with Regina's voice as Naruto gulped. It had been a long time since he was actually afraid for his life, which made him laugh moments later as Death and the elderly men looked at him.

"I saw what you did and the only thing I could think was, 'I'm going to die.' I'm already dead!" Naruto cackled with laughter as Death smiled softly at him.

"Not totally, actually, that's why we're here." Death retorted as Naruto's laughter died instantly.

"Huh?" He said stupidly.

"You're a Wraith, still attached to the world by some tether. Judging from your reaction, I'd say your love for this body's soul since it did just keep you from entering my realm." Death responded; walking away as Naruto watched her sashay away. He brutally murdered the mental voice that tried reminding him that he was actually ogling a supernatural being, and not his fiancée.

"This is where all the problems originate from." The elderly man said as Naruto looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto asked.

"You truly believe that Regina loved you, and that's simply not possible." The man said and Naruto didn't think before he punched the man across his cheek, which would've worked had the blonde not tumbled through his noncorporeal body.

"She did love me, you old geezer!" Naruto snarled.

"No, she's a villain, and therefore incapable of loving anybody. You were duped into sacrificing yourself for her." The man said as Naruto gritted his teeth tightly.

"You imbecilic old coot! The Dark Curse requires her to sacrifice her most precious' heart to enact it, the fact that I'm dead proves that the curse worked, and therefore she loved me!" Naruto shouted as Death smirked, watching the pair as he shifted back to Naruto's form, using his blade to clean under his nails.

"If that were true, than why are you here. If she truly loved you, then why did she need to enact the Dark Curse, huh?" The elderly man snarked back as Naruto growled.

"Because my father had an alternative reason for wanting to jump through that portal. Besides, we did it together, I could've stopped her at any point and told her it was my heart in that chest." Naruto said simply and the older man snorted.

"Then why didn't you, unless you wanted to die, maybe you did love her at one point but not anymore, but you knew if you went through the portal, you'd be forever bound to her with no way to escape. Maybe this was your great escape." Naruto actually drew his blade at this point.

"Why can't you get it in your thick skull, for her happily-ever-after, I would die one, ten, a thousand times if necessary, because I love her and that is more than enough payment for my life!" Naruto shouted as the elderly man groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Except she didn't love you, it was just the effects of one of your father's potions." He revealed, but Naruto didn't miss a beat, "No, that's a lie. She loved me without any magic involved!" Naruto responded.

"We'll just keep arguing in circles for the rest of eternity, so I'm going to be the bigger man and just drop it. Now I'm here because you've screwed up all sorts of things. Destiny had a plan all lain out, and you were never a part of it." The man said as Naruto growled, but relented, resheathing his blade.

"What do you mean; I was never a part of Destiny's plan?" Naruto asked confusedly as Death sniggered behind him.

"Rumplestiltskin was never supposed to have had you. In Destiny's original plan, he only had one son, Baelfire, but somehow he ended up with you as well. Thankfully you didn't damage things too much; however, now that you've died I've fixed the story you so carelessly interfered in." He continued; a large thickly bound book in his hands as he scribbled in it.

"What do you mean you fixed it, what did you do?!" Naruto demanded as the man looked at him with emotionless eyes.

"You never existed in this story, which creates the issue that if that history never happened; certain things had to have happened such as Regina sacrificing somebody to cast the Dark Curse." He said, and Naruto gasped.

"Henry?" He asked, before his mind flew back to earlier when he was looking into the courtyard where he saw a younger version of Henry sitting by a fountain.

"Dead, also because you were never there Belle never adventured out of your father's castle, and instead she did try to run away from him, she still was captured by Regina, but she kept her to hurt Rumplestiltskin. All the people you executed were spared because Regina didn't have the manpower to capture them. She also was never given the coronation crown, and therefore…" The man paused as Naruto fell to his knees.

"Emma, I never saved her." He mumbled.

"Yes, she lived a long miserable life because you never saved her before she finally slit her wrists with a pair of shears and killed herself. Because you weren't around after Baelfire left, Rumplestiltskin went crazy, killing many people; the same could be said of Regina since she couldn't fill the hole in her heart after Daniel. Also, Snow White was never captured and therefore people didn't resent her, leading to a much more one-sided rebellion when they overthrew Regina. Need I go on?" He asked rhetorically as Naruto stared at the ground before jumping to his feet.

"So why are you telling me all this?" Naruto demanded as the man sighed.

"In the words of your father, I'll make a deal with you. You can be restored to the living world, not the Enchanted Forest, to the realm where all the people in the Enchanted Forest dwell which has no magic. If you're so positive that Regina loved you without any magical influence, do it again. True love's kiss will break the changes I've made, and restore them to the way you knew them." The man said as Naruto didn't have to think as he nodded furiously.

"Don't feel like you have to accept so easily, Naruto." Death said as he came up, slowly changing into a figureless shadow. "I can't keep you here; you're a Wraith which means you'd wander the world until you were able to sever the tether keeping you to the mortal coil, in this case your love for Regina. This is why I'm here, to offer you a gift." Death said with a smile that reveal perfect white teeth which stood out against his nearly pitch black skin.

"You aren't the first or the last Wraith; most spirits don't even notice the Forest of Sin. I'm offering you this gift because you endured it, which means that you feel no guilt over the sins you've committed in your living life. Considering the way you clung to that ring, you do feel emotions, especially where that one girl, Emma was it?" Death questioned, interrupting his own monologue. Naruto nodded hesitantly, wondering where he was going with this speech.

"So instead I believe you committed those dark acts, killing, thieving, lying, assorted other sordid details…" Death trailed off. "Where was I? Oh yes. I believe you would make a wonderful Reaper for me." Death said with what was probably meant to be a soft smile, but it came out like a murderous demon.

"A Reaper?" Naruto asked as Death nodded.

"Yes, I've imbued your blade with the power of my scythe which will allow you to speak to lingering spirits, as well as reviving the dead provided their spirits linger; once they enter my kingdom, I'm not giving them back. Also, I'll need a payment to release souls that would be mine, so you'll have to sacrifice a soul in their place." Death said as Naruto nodded, his head spinning from all the information in the past hour.

"Oh yes, Naruto, although magic is extremely rare in this realm you're heading to, that blade will function similarly to your father's dagger. So long as you have it by your side, you should be able to use basic magic such as glamour and summoning things, and maybe other spells provided you rest afterwards, but…" The still unnamed man said as Naruto nodded understandingly.

"Okay, but I have a question, how will I find Regina once I'm in this new world?" The blonde Reaper asked.

"You will come across a guide that will, well, guide you to her. You will know in your heart when you find this guide. Until you are able to find her and break the curse, I would recommend settling in and living a life in the meanwhile. As I'm sure you remember, the magic between your soul and Regina's still exists, allowing you to age at the same pace as your 'beloved'." The wizened man said, slowly walking passed Naruto, who nodded obediently at the information.

"Yeah, the Dark Curse will preserve them at there current age until the Savior breaks the curse. My father explained it to me." Naruto said, tightly gripping his blade.

"Yes, but think of this little challenge as a separate, but intertwined part of the Dark Curse. Even if the Savior breaks the Curse, no one will remember you until you fix the so called damage to your story. Just as equally, if you somehow miraculously defy fate and Regina falls in love with you before the Curse is broken, she, nor anyone else, will remember you as Naruto Gold, the… what was it you were called towards the end of your life again? Ah yes, the Mad King, a fitting title if I do say so myself." The as-of-yet unnamed man exclaimed with a knowing smirk as Naruto closed his eyes, sighing at the reminder of his title among the denizens of the Enchanted Forest.

"Well, I think that's all the information we can give you, so if you'll just wait a moment you'll be sent on your way." Death said confidently as Naruto breathed, slightly scared. But he chose this path, and he didn't regret it one bit. He was being given the chance to be with his Regina again, and there was no price he wouldn't pay for this chance, his new job as a Reaper was just icing on the cake in his opinion.

**A/N: Sup guys, I just got back from a week-long vacation up to Pennsylvania to visit the town of Hershey, which was AWESOME! *Cue fan-girl squeal.* Anyways, I got back around 3:30 in the morning from my flight, and slept all morning yesterday. I hope you enjoy the chapter as next chapter will be in the real world at the start of canon, which will follow a similar thread of thought to this chapter in that I'll once again have to properly explain a 'large' amount of information so the story is understandable. Oh well, I'm enjoying your guys reviews, so keep them up and let me know what you think.**

**P.S. -Fun Trivia Fact: The title of this chapter had absolutely nothing to do with the chapter in general, and mostly to do with my feelings in trying to explain everything in a plausible manner without it becoming boring, so yeah. **


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: So, I finally made it to canon guys. I hope you enjoy how everything turns/ed out since I worked hard on it although I may have to change my upload schedule to whenever I have available since I've got a new job, well a promotion to a more senior position but I'll try to keep up with demand so yeah… also try to keep an open mind while reading this chapter as Naruto has changed over the years.**

**A Place to Belong**

The opening track to 'The Final Countdown' could be heard in the pristine white room as a blonde man had his hands full, well actually there were just covered in blood as he groaned, pulling his hands out of the dead body, pulling off his gloves as he quickly washed his hands, scooping up the phone as he answered it with a resolute, 'Wassup Honey?'

"Dad, don't answer the phone like that, someone will get the wrong idea." The girl on the other end hissed at her father who chuckled, shaking his hands dry as he entered his office adjoining to the room. He fell into a black leather chair in the corner, a lacquered cane resting against the arm as he drummed his fingers on it. "Anyway, I was calling to ask if we could maybe reschedule dinner tomorrow?" The woman asked hesitantly as the blonde man paused before answering in the affirmative.

"Geez Dad, could you at least make it sound like you're disappointed?" The woman asked dejectedly.

"No, because if I did then you would feel guiltier than you already do. But if you don't mind, could I ask why?" The man asked; only to have the answer be interrupted by a voice over the intercom.

"Paging Doctor Gold, could you please report to the central office?" Dr. Gold groaned as he pushed himself up, hooking his cane with a single finger as he twirled it around his finger. Passing a much younger man with ginger hair, the doctor held a hand over the speaker of the phone.

"Could you finish up for me, thanks." He said it like a request but they both knew it wasn't anything less than an order.

"Sorry Honey, I didn't catch that." Dr. Gold said into the phone as he pretended to hobble down the hallway to the elevator, putting most of his weight on the cane.

"I said, 'it's a funny story actually. This kid showed up claiming to be my son. Anyway he needs a ride back to some place in Maine so I won't be back until late tomorrow and I'll tired as death. Maybe we can do it this Saturday instead." The girl said.

"Go back to the part about the kid." Gold said calmly, although he was barely restraining himself from doing something harsh.

"This kid is claiming to be my son, and I think he may be that son that I give up for adoption a few years ago. So, I'm taking him back home to this place in Maine, I think I may stay the day, see how he grew up you know, call it maternal curiosity." The woman said as the doctor growled lowly, lifting his cane to press the elevator button.

"Fine, just call me when you get there to let me know you're safe, and if you get into _any_ trouble, you either come straight back home or call me to come pick you up. You understand?" Doctor Gold asked with iron in his voice as he punched the Lobby button.

"Yeah." The woman responded flippantly.

"Emma Marie Swan, do you understand me." The doctor asked steelily as the voice on the other side sighed.

"First, that's not even my middle name, and second, yes Dad, I'll be safe." Emma said as the phone clicked, ending the call as Dr. Gold entered the office of his boss.

"Naruto this is Dr. Obstrich, Dr. Obstrich this is Dr. Naruto Gold our M.E. Naruto, Dr. Obstrich will be taking over as your boss, starting next week since I'm moving to be closer to my kids." Naruto's boss said kindly as Naruto gave a fake smile that somehow managed to hide how much he wanted to put the cane in his hand through smug man's arrogant smirk.

"Pleased to meet you." Naruto said; extending his hand as Dr. Obstrich looked at it distastefully.

'Hnn." He said, turning away. Naruto followed suit, exiting the office hastily. He was especially proud of his restraint as he made it to the elevator, and let the doors shut before he let loose with a loudly exclaimed curse.

(Flashback)

Naruto was walking down the street, heading towards his self-taught lessons. He'd been in this dimension/realm for close to six months and was only just now reaching a functioning understanding of it.

He'd spent a majority of the time at a local library, reading various texts on topics from History to Law &amp; Politics and even Mathematics passed his former level which was now defined as Algebra and Calculus. He'd gotten some strange looks when he'd started before using a tiny bit of magic make himself seem more convincing when he'd told the librarian that he was from a different land and was living on his own, and therefore needed to learn as much as he could about 'America'.

After that, she would occasionally drop in on his private table to check up on him, or to recommend different texts if she thought he'd missed something crucial. He'd had to start at basic elementary level Sciences and learn all the way up to his current text on Chemistry. That irked him, but what was he to do, the extent of Science to him was potion making, which actually allowed him a better understanding of Chemistry as he felt ready to move on soon.

Walking passed a shop window, he felt a… twitch in his heart as he backed up, looking at the sign hanging over the door advertising this as an orphanage, although Naruto was unaccustomed to orphanages being located in the middle of a town like a pet store.

Thinking that he had nothing to lose, he entered the building which was larger on the inside than it looked as Naruto noticed it opened into a small playground/clearing in the back which he couldn't see from the street. The desk was being managed by an elderly lady who was reading a magazine.

He heard a small gurgling coo near him as he looked around before finding a crib which held a smiling baby who tried to laugh as Naruto's wild blonde hair peeked over the side, but came out as spittle as Naruto smiled in response.

"They're adorable aren't they?" A voice said behind him as he turned around to see the elderly woman standing there with her hands behind her back.

"Yes, although she seems a little lonely in here. I was under the impression that orphanages usually held a lot of children?" He said questioningly as the woman smiled sadly.

"Yes, that is the norm, but my husband died a few years ago and I haven't been getting any younger. So, I recently decided to close my doors to new children, and try to find homes for the ones I had here. She's the last one. I've had three different families come in looking for a one older than her, but I've had to turn them away." She explained as Naruto frowned, looking back at the little baby girl who was attempting to kick her legs but couldn't quite get a pattern going.

"She seems to really like you, little rebellious spirit she is. She refuses to do anything at an opportune time." The woman said with a teasing smile as she looked at the baby, who frowned, gurgling out an insult before hearing Naruto chuckle as she smiled again, reaching up to him.

"Maybe you'd like to hold her?" The elderly lady asked as Naruto went wide-eyed. He looked at the little girl with trepidation before nodding hesitantly as the lady nodded knowingly; picking the baby up hesitantly as she carefully transferred her to Naruto's hands.

The blonde gulped fearfully as he adjusted several times according to the woman's instructions before the little girl yawned, nuzzling into his chest as he unconsciously swayed back and forth.

'Well, I'll be… She's never done that before, not even with me. She'll calm down and stop crying when I hold her, but she's always wide-eyed and bushy-tailed until I put her back in her crib." The woman informed him as he nodded without paying attention as he brushed the bangs out of the baby's face and felt a worm spark arc down his spine as he gasped breathlessly.

"So, shall I get the paper work?" The woman asked, and Naruto felt his heart drop. He didn't have a job, living off the few gold coins that had somehow made the trip with him to this world. He couldn't afford a baby, let alone all the things she'd need: a crib, formula, diapers, burp clothes, baby clothes, a changing station, and various other things he couldn't think of right now. And to add insult to injury, he knew nothing about taking care of a baby save what he'd picked up on instinct or that was mentioned, but not covered, in one of the texts he read.

The woman must have seen the forlorn look as she sighed, carefully taking the baby girl and replacing her in the crib, the little girl squirming around as if she sensed the loss of Naruto's protecting aura.

"Please, I'm new to this country and don't have a very good job yet." He said as the woman looked at him angrily, the blonde taking a step back from the glare sent his way.

"Then why would you even consider coming in here?" She said acerbically as she went behind the counter once more.

"I felt like I needed to. Please understand, I'll…I'll do whatever I have to." He begged for the first time in his life. In the Enchanted forest, he'd never had need to beg, he could simply threaten those that didn't initially fall for his innocent looks.

"It's not a matter of doing anything. This girl is an orphan, abandoned by the people that were supposed to take care of her, the people she was supposed to trust most in this world. She deserves a family that can both love her and provide for her. If you can't do either one, then it's obviously not meant to be." She said, putting her magazine up as a barrier between him and her.

"I know that!" He shouted; losing his cool as the woman glared hatefully at him as, as one, they looked back at the crib only to hear no indication that the girl had awoken. "I'm sorry, but I know that. I'm alone in this world, I was abandoned by the woman who birthed me and my father didn't have a job, but I didn't care because he always made sure that I was put first in everything he did." Naruto whispered as the woman sighed, the hatred draining from her eyes as she saw the sincerity in Naruto eyes.

"I'll make a deal with you. You come to work here, and help me take care of the children and I'll allow you to adopt her. I'll teach you how to take care of a baby, and when she grows into a child. But, you better understand Mister, this will be hard work and it is relatively thankless. You sign those papers and there is no going back." Despite her apparent age, Naruto could see the steel in her eyes as she stared at him, waiting on him to back down. But for the first time since arriving in this world, Naruto was certain he had found a place to fit into.

"Okay, I'll do it, if that's what needs to be done for her, I can pay it." The blonde said with no small amount of steel in his own voice as the woman nodded, pulling out a stack of papers.

"Good, now then, just sign on the dotted line and fill in the necessary information where relevant." She said, and Naruto nodded, picking up the supplied pen as he began filling in his information. "Oh yes, one last thing, what would you like to name her?" The elderly lady asked as Naruto turned back, remembering the pale blonde hair and her shining blue eyes, the way she instantly trusted him.

"Emma, I'd like to name her Emma." He said as the lady nodded, smiling kindly this time.

_"__Well, that old man did say to live my life until it was time. I'm sure Regina will be glad to meet little Emma. I know she never wanted to have children in the Enchanted Forest because she was afraid of Cora turning them against her, but Emma is worth the risk, especially since Cora shouldn't have made the trip." _Naruto thought as he finished the swirl on his name.

"OK, everything seems to be in order. You start Monday at promptly 7 o'clock, understand?" The elderly lady said rhetorically as Naruto nodded in the ascent, distracted by his now daughter.

(Flashback End)

Naruto rolled his shoulder as the door opened to his Operating Room of Pain… or the Morgue as everyone else called it. The ginger-haired man was carefully documenting the weight of the internal organs as Naruto passed through the room to his office, sighing as he fell into a swivel chair.

Leaning back a she rubbed his eyes, he flipped the grip on his cane, opening a mini-fridge as he lifted a covered plate that held something he knew would alleviate the growing pain in his head; boysenberry pie, a gift from his daughter Emma, who was now on her way to some place in Maine… maybe he better have two pieces.

Three days later, Naruto came into work expecting to have a peaceful day examining dead people, maybe speaking to their wandering souls, but instead he walked in to have his phone go off immediately, to the tune of 'The Final Countdown'.

"Yes Dear?" He asked as he picked up the chart lying in his designated box in the lobby. It didn't stand out in any particular way, but that could just as likely due to Emma next words as the chart hit the floor with a loud echo.

"Daddy, I need help, I've been arrested by Henry's mom. I'm in this town called Storybrooke, and I don't think I'm going to be making dinner tonight." Emma's tone was level, but Naruto could tell she wanted to cry.

Naruto was already out the door before she finished her sentence, brushing passed the man who was entering the hospital as he hooked his helmet, safely placing it on his head. A hastily muttered 'Sorry' was all the man got as Naruto rushed off, faster than any man with a cane should be able as he sped away on his motorcycle.

If he'd waited a minute longer, he would've went back to redact his apology, and possible assault the man he'd almost knocked over.

"I'm so sorry, did you happen to see who that was. I'll be having words with them, and they'll find themselves with docked pay and a suspension if they don't supply a sufficient answer." Naruto's boss said as she chased after the rapidly fleeing Naruto.

"Oh it's alright, he didn't hurt me. My name is Neal Cassidy and I'm here for my check-up with a Dr. Kishimoto." Naruto's boss nodded, pointing Neal in the correct direction.

**A/N: Sup guys, I come bearing good news and bad news. Bad news is my internet provider is becoming an unreliable piece of crap, but they're the only choice where I live so… yeah. Good news is they got the internet back on after three days without it… again. Also, I hope everyone is still enjoying this story. The majority opted for me to skip to the start of canon, so if things don't make sense, just give me a few chapters to fill in the blanks and then. Also, review if you liked the chapter because they really are something I look forward to reading.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Sup guys, I here to say that I'm back in the saddle and working harder ever, not really, my muse decided to take a vacation without me so I've been having trouble writing these latest chapters but I'm trying my best. This is the chapter I know you've all been waiting for Naruto finds Regina, after only 28 and a half years, I'm sure nothing's changed.**

**The Chosen Path**

Naruto didn't slow down as he passed a sign welcoming him to Storybrooke, nor did he notice that the speed limit dropped down to 40 from the highway 75, what he did notice was that as soon as he passed the sign, a cold chill passed over him as he slammed on his brakes, nearly flipping the motorcycle as it went almost perfectly vertical.

He felt something he hadn't felt in nearly thirty years, a tugging in his heart, something egging him onwards down the road towards the town where his daughter was being held. As he continued on, he did so at a much more sedate pace in case he needed to grab Emma and run.

As he entered the town, he searched for anything that would indicate towards the jail, a sign or a police car. After searching for nearly ten minutes, he pulled up on a small diner, removing his helmet as he shook out his wild blonde hair and grasped the curved handle of his cane.

Hobbling up the steps, he pushed the door open as the small bell over the door and his eyes swept over the crowd that turned to glance back at who the newcomer was, as time seemed to slow down as he spotted a familiar black wave that tumbled down, subconsciously, he twisted the crooked ring on his finger.

"_Wow, I thought I was passed this already yet here I am thinking about her again. Keep your head straight Naruto, you're here for Emma."_ He thought before taking a step forwards only to nearly run straight into the hallucination of his beloved Regina.

"Hello, welcome to Storybrooke. May I ask what your purpose in town is?" The lady asked as Naruto found himself without a voice.

"_She even sounds the same as I remember her._" He thought as the ravenette sighed, muttering 'Weirdo' under her breath.

"Sorry, it's just that you remind me of someone I once knew." He finally said as the woman rolled her eyes imperiously.

"Well, I'm not her as I've never met you before in my life." Regina responded as Naruto's eyes became downcast as he remembered the curse that stood between them.

"Yeah, I know." He said softly as Regina's annoyed expression softened as she touched him, a gesture she wouldn't normally make to a stranger but something about him made her feel his saddened eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories, I… we are just not used to strangers showing up in town. You're actually the second one in about a week, both of you with blonde hair too…" Regina trailed off as her eyes hardened imperceptibly to anyone that didn't know her intimately, which was a _very_ short list, and the only one present wasn't paying attention.

"Yes, I'm aware. That's actually the reason I'm in town. I received a phone call from my daughter earlier today saying that she had been arrested and needed my help, I presume with making bail. I don't suppose you could point me towards the jail so that I may see her." Naruto said as Regina passed by him, the small bell ringing as the pair exited.

"Oh yes, just follow me Mr. Swan, I was headed that way myself." Regina said as she wrapped a scarf around her neck as Naruto watched, fighting down the urge to help her.

"Not Swan, Gold." He corrected as Regina looked at him in confusion. "My surname isn't Swan, but Gold, Naruto Gold. Is there something wrong with that name?" he asked as Regina chuckled lightly under her breath. She jumped at being caught; she'd thought he wouldn't notice.

"No it's just, we have a Mr. Gold in town, and he runs the Pawn Shop down the street maybe you're related like long lost brothers. Anyways, just follow me to the jail and we can get you all sorted out, and then you can be on your way back to wherever you came from." Regina said as she began striding down the street, her heels clacking against the stone sidewalk.

As he followed her, he made a mental note to visit the Pawn Shop later to visit who he presumed to be his father, Rumplestiltskin.

Walking down the streets following his (ex) fiancée, nostalgia washed over the blonde as he spotted people he once knew in his former life, before the curse. He was so lost in his nostalgia that he nearly ran straight into Regina when she stopped; turning into a small building that had a sheriff's car parked in front.

"She was arrested earlier today for stealing some files from the town psychiatrist, and I asked the Sheriff to let me know if she made bail." Regina said as she started towards the jail, only for Naruto to step in front of her and push the door open, holding it for her.

Smirking imperceptibly, Regina walked passed him turning the corner only to pause as she took in the scene before her. Naruto followed her and was likewise speechless for a different reason.

"Thank you Mary Margaret, although I already told you not to bother because I already called a 'friend' to come and spring me." Emma said sternly while mock-glaring at the woman opposite her, whom Naruto took to be Mary Margaret, although he knew her by a different name, Snow White.

"Henry, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to be at home studying." Regina said as she strode towards the young male whose eyes widened at the appearance of his mother.

"Sorry Mom, I wanted to help Emma out." Henry said as Naruto chuckled under his breath before a forlorn look entered his eyes as he realized that Henry was named after Regina's father.

"Dad!" Emma said surprised as she hadn't expected him to get here so soon. The blonde suddenly found his daughter's arms hugging him tightly as Henry glared at Naruto who didn't expected the heated glare from the young boy. It stopped when Regina noticed and scolded him.

"Sorry it took me so long, I got here and didn't know where the jail was. Luckily I ran into Regina and she led me here." Naruto apologized as Emma snorted. Ignoring her disbelief, he turned to Sn- Mary Margaret, extending his hand. "Pleased to meet you, I believe Emmy said your name was Mary Margaret? I'm sorry that you had to make bail for my daughter, allow me to pay you back." He said sincerely, and Mary Margaret shook both his hand and her head.

"No, it's alright, I didn't expect to be compensated when I did it, I only did it because it was the right thing to do." She said kindly, only to have the moment broken up by Emma's teasing remark.

"Really, and I thought it was because Henry begged you to help him when he couldn't make bail himself?" Emma remarked questioningly as all eyes fell on young Henry who at least had the decency to blush.

"Well, you're Snow White, you're supposed to be the fairest of all, so I thought you would be the most likely to help me." Henry mumbled and Regina rolled her eyes as Mary Margaret giggled.

"Yes, she's the fairest one of all, and where does that leave the poor banished Queen?" Naruto said bitterly before he caught himself as several eyes fell on him.

"What do you mean?" Regina was the one to ask the silent question as Naruto sighed, leaning heavily on his cane.

"I mean, Snow White ended up as the Queen right, so what about the Queen before her, I mean Snow White gets married and everyone just abandons her step-mother right? That's hardly fair if you ask me, after all the supposedly Evil Queen was the only family Snow White had left, even if they weren't blood related and how does she repay her, by getting her kicked out and left alone. What did she ever do to deserve that?" Naruto said as Regina looked at him suspiciously only to be cut off by Henry's heated response to the older blonde.

"She sent the Huntsmen after her so no one would know that the Evil Queen killed Snow White's father, the king that the Evil Queen was married to! Would a good person do that?" Henry said loudly as Regina winced although the only one who noticed was Naruto as the room looked at him to see how he reacted.

"You've been watching too much Disney kid; you don't have the whole story. Snow White ran away long before the Queen ever sent this Huntsman after her, and then after running away from home, she lived with a bunch of dwarves freeloading. More to the point, we're arguing over a fairy tale which isn't even real." Naruto said; losing the control on his temper as his knuckles began turning white on the cane.

"Yes they are; everyone in this town is from a fairy tale. Mary Margaret is Snow White, and my mom is the Evil Queen!" Henry shouted before realizing what he'd said as Regina let go of his arm as she became downcast. However, she was quickly brought out of her depression by the tense feeling in the room as Naruto's eyes filled with anger.

"I hate to tear down your dreams gaki, but there is no way that your mother is old enough to be Snowy's step-mother unless she got married while she was still a child. More to the point, you have no idea how much it probably hurts your mother every time you call her that name! She may be a Queen, but I've been with her only ten minutes and I can already tell there is nothing 'evil' about her, and certainly not where you're concerned." Naruto growled out as Regina looked at him in surprise with a light blush as he defended her, despite not really knowing her.

"But since you seem to have such a limited view of fairy tales, would you like me to tell you why the Heroes always get their Happily-Ever-Afters? It's because the author writes it that way." Naruto said with pure hatred as he turned to leave, Emma apologizing before following him outside.

"What the hell was that in there, I've never seen you lose your composure like that before? You love kids, I've never seen you even raise your voice to a single one except me!" Emma demanded as Naruto didn't stop as he responded forlornly.

"What if I told you that that boy is more aware than people give him credit for? If I told you that all those fairy tales he's talking about were real? What I told you that in this fairy tale I was written out of the story because I possessed the motive and ability to change the plot." Naruto said; pausing momentarily as his daughter took in his words, after a few minutes of silence he looked back to see her amused expression.

"Well, that just isn't true considering that according to Henry, I'm the true-love born child of Snow White and Prince Charming, and so unless you're actually truly in love with that woman in there, then it just can't be real." Emma said as Naruto froze, her words echoing in his ears.

"I promise you, I'm no Prince Charming, my precious Swan Princess." Naruto said as he began walking away, Emma following as they caught up.

"Hey, we never had my birthday dinner, and you have to try Granny's cooking." Emma said as she dragged Naruto into the diner, and as he heard the bell jingle over the door, he knew as much as he wanted to take her from this place, he would never be able to, not while his heart resided here.

Even if it did make for an awkward situation in regards to his surrogate grandson, and son, taken a step further in that his surrogate daughter was also his surrogate granddaughter, making Henry also his surrogate great-grandson; Naruto shook his head as it began to try and process how screwed up his family tree would look. However, this in turn filled him with a sense of joy as he imagined a certain ravenette with his surname. He had no way of knowing that that night, Regina would stare at the ceiling thinking about his words.

**A/N: So, what did you think guys? Are you enjoying things? I received some requests about Naruto and Regina's first romancing, and I deliberately left it out until now because of this exact situation occurring.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: So I guess the right thing to say is that I was stunned by the approval I got for my twist of Naruto being Emma's father, to which I can't express how glad that makes me. I hope to continue garnering your reactions in a similar manner with any more twists I add. That said; I don't really have much to say here except have a wonderful Christmas or New Year (depending on when this chapter gets uploaded).**

**Rebellion**

"So you're not coming back with me?" Naruto asked confusedly as Emma shook her head, chewing on a French fry which she'd swiped off his plate.

"No, you've seen this place. Tell me something doesn't feel off around here." Emma responded a few moments later as Naruto chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. "Besides, I kinda want to get to know Henry, learn how he grew up you know." Emma explained as Naruto sighed.

"You didn't have to give him up. I offered to watch him until you got out of jail; it wouldn't have been that bad." Naruto exclaimed as Emma shook her head again. Without answering, she picked up her mug, sipping on the chocolaty beverage with a low 'mm'.

"Besides that, what about school; just because you can get all your assignments over the website and video-conference demonstrations doesn't mean you should. The medical field is very hands-on, and your instructor won't pass you simply because you completed all your classroom hours and passed every paper and exam." Naruto said sternly, Emma smiling softly as she looked out the window at the quaint town.

"Dad, even if I aced all my exams and graduated on the Dean's List, no respectable hospital would hire me with my record. I would get laughed out of any professional medical facility I entered." Emma said forlornly as Naruto bit into his burger as a tomato fell out of the other side. He glared at it hatefully.

"They would if I pulled a few strings, maybe called in some favors. Besides if they didn't, I could always take you on as my assistant." Naruto offered as Emma sighed sadly.

"That's the problem Dad, I want to get by on my own skills, not ride on your coattails. I want to be called Dr. Emma Swan, not Dr. Gold's illustrious screw-up. Besides you already have an assistant Dad, remember Percy?" Emma pointed out as she chewed on a fry for far longer than necessary.

"Ha, Percy couldn't identify Gallstones from a ruptured Spleen. Besides, he doesn't look quite as cute in a nurse's uniform as you honey." Naruto said, and after a moment both shiver before laughing.

"True, but how cute did I look in an orange jumpsuit?" Emma said rhetorically.

"Ahh, I think you can pull it off, and my fashion sense is as good as any female's, it had to be to keep up with all the costume changes you went through in school." Naruto said jokingly as Emma pouted, lightly punching his shoulder.

"Yes, coming from the guy who dyed his doctor's coat sunset orange and wore it to the hospital for two weeks straight that means a lot." Emma snarked as Naruto adopted a wounded expression.

"Say what you want, it was the easiest $100 bucks I ever made, which if memory serves went towards the car repairs when _someone_ ran over a defenseless bush while checking out a guy!" Naruto retorted as Emma turned her nose up austerely.

"And who had to go to the doctor because the car driver stopped on a dime to avoid hitting a squirrel?" Emma shot back as Naruto gasped, affronted at the accusation.

"Now I know that you aren't Snow White's daughter, I can see the headlines now, 'Emma Swan organizing squirrel executions'. What next, deer internment camps?" Naruto said as Emma giggled, Naruto following shortly after as they became lost in their mirth.

"Hey Dad, can I ask you a question… about Mom?" Emma asked hesitantly, knowing that her father avoiding talking about his wife whenever the choice was given. As expected, the mirth instantly vanished from the man's face as he sipped his coffee contemplatively.

"Sure Honey." He answered honestly, although Emma, through years of experience, could tell he wished she'd let him off the hook.

"Tell me about you two, how you met, or some little anecdote about the time you spent dating before you got married and had me." Emma requested as Naruto leaned back, his eyes glittering the unshed tears as he shut them, trapping the salty drops in.

"I've told you all there was too it, but I suppose I could think of something I haven't told you yet. Uhmm, your mother was a spitfire, yet I'd never known her to take her anger out on anyone. Sometimes I wondered if she was even capable of feeling anger, but that's not for me to say. Probably the biggest fight we ever had was about… maybe we shouldn't do this after all, dear. I'm sorry, but just remember that I and your mother **never** felt for another the way we felt about each other." Naruto said as he stood, dropping a twenty on the table, apologizing once more as he turned and strode away searching for some place to let out his feelings. Feelings that he'd held tightly inside, let loose once he'd seen **her**.

Naruto pushed open the door to his Queens apartment, about to call out to his daughter when he heard a soft sobbing sound coming from her bedroom. He felt his blood already chilling as he made a beeline towards the room directly across from his, reaching to push the door open when he stopped short at her words.

"What am I supposed to do Mom? I really like Jason, but… how can I like someone who'd call me a freak?" Emma sobbed, her sharp intakes of breath cutting at Naruto's heart as she continued. "I'd tell Dad, but… he's so different from me, nothing ever seems to bother him and then if I bring you up, he just shuts down. If he knew that I talk to you like this, I can't lose him too. What if what those kids were saying is true, that you left us because I was too much like Dad?" Her hitching voice dropped to a low whisper so Naruto had lightly push the door open, thankfully her back was to him. "I love him too much to ever admit it but I think some part of me resents him but a larger part blames myself. What if one day he looks at me and all he sees is everything that drove you away." Emma broke down into wet sniffles at that as Naruto let the small trail of tears run down his cheek as he walked away, going back to the front door as he called loudly "I'm home!"

For her credit, she hid her tears well as she exited her room, a pair of sweatpants and a loose t-shirt sufficing as clothes as she hugged him tightly, greeting him with a chipper 'Hey Dad.' Although Naruto wasn't fooled as he led her to the small kitchenette, opening the fridge.

"I brought your favorite, reheatable burgers and lukewarm fries; also your choice of Coke or Dr. Pepper." He said, grabbing his own burger as he sat at the table, unwrapping the foil wrapping around it. She joined him moments later, sipping on the Dr. Pepper with a feigned smile as the pair ate in silence.

The next day found Emma trying in vain to open her locker as she was heckled by Samantha, a sugary blonde with an acerbic demeanor towards Emma. Behind her were Vanessa and Casey, a black-haired girl and dirty blonde respectively. Vanessa had a reputation for smarting off to teachers while Casey seemed to detest the male gender as a whole.

"So did you even wash that natty mess you call hair or do you just leave it like that so guys have something to grab hold of?" Samantha, Sam to everyone except Emma, snarked as Emma tried to ignore her. "Did you hear me freak, or is your voice hoarse from all your chanting last night?" Sam scowled at the girl who tried to walk away, only to run straight into a wall of muscle.

"Woah, watch out Ems, don't want to hurt yourself there." Jason said as he went around her, kissing Sam on the lips as they seemed to exchange tongues for several minutes. "What have I told you about messing with the trash? She's liable to perform a séance in the girls' bathrooms and curse you." Jason taunted, not even looking at Emma as she started to leave only for Vanessa to stick her leg out, tripping Emma as her books went skittering across the floor and several papers rained down as the group tittered at her, the gothic girl blushing fiercely.

"Look out there, Freak had too much to drink last night, she can't even walk straight." Casey hissed while checking her nails as Sam laughed at the sprawled out Emma. "Or maybe she got her Daddy's cripple gene?" Jason said questioningly, although no one took it as a question.

Students went around the group although they were slowly gaining a peanut gallery as Vanessa picked up a small book, reading aloud, 'Dear Diary,' "Really, what are you 10?" Vanessa said with disgust in her voice.

"No, if memory serves she's 12." A distinguished voice said as the crowd separated enough to allow a third party into the growing ring.

"Dad?" Emma said despairingly as Jason looked between the pair before laughing raucously.

"Oh, does the little freak have to get her cripple Daddy to save the day. What do you think you're going to do old-timer, even if you didn't have that bum leg I could take you with one hand behind my back." Jason taunted, only to be put flat on his back as Naruto snarled out a low curse as the tip of his cane sent Jason back.

"How dare you, you cripple!" A gruff voice said as a black boy appeared from the crowd, throwing a roundhouse punch at Naruto who ducked under the punch, flipping the grip on his cane as he hooked the black teen's foot, pulling it out from under him as he struggled to keep his balance while caught off-balance, Naruto did him the favor of sending him into unconsciousness by jabbing his cane into the back of the boy's head, smashing his face into the row of lockers.

"Oh dear, it would appear that you've tripped and harmed yourself. I would offer to help you, but as you can see I'm crippled and therefore incapable of lifting you up to perform a cursory examination although at first glance it would appear you suffer from a severe case of arrogance." Naruto said as he hobbled over to Emma, who was stunned at her father and the heartless expression on his face.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Emma asked incredulously as she followed her hobbling father as he walked through the split in the crowd, everyone silent as their eyes followed the man.

"I can to pick you up so you can go school shopping with me." He answered as if nothing else mattered.

"School shopping, what the hell are you talking about Dad!?" Emma shouted as Naruto paused, turning around to level a soft glare at her language.

"I recently got a promotion, bringing in several hundred thousand more so you're being transferred to the Marten Academy downtown. As such, you'll need to wear the uniform and bring your own supplies which you are responsible, understand." Naruto said in a no-nonsense tone as he held the door open as Emma walked through her mouth agape from the revelation.

"Bu-But Dad… Marten's Academy costs astronomical! One year's tuition costs more than our entire apartment! What kind of promotion did you get to afford that kind of cash?" Emma questioned as Naruto smirked, shrugging his shoulders.

"That's not your concern. What is your concern now is living your life and staying out of trouble, okay Honey?" He said although Emma wasn't fooled by his stern tone.

"Yes Dad, I understand." She said as she tossing her bag in the backseat, hopping into the passenger seat of their little four-door Honda.

Naruto groaned as he scribbled on the small chart, only momentarily glancing at the dead body on his slab.

He'd lurked around in Storybrooke for maybe another five hours before reluctantly clambering back on to his motorcycle and zipping back to New York where he'd found another dead body awaiting him, as was the custom in such a massive city.

"Cause of death appears to be massive blood loss due to the severing of the jugular vein although the body lacks a head, preventing me from making a conclusive answer. Multiple injection sites along the arm suggest the victim had a history of drug use, although the injection at the collarbone was made with a higher grade of needle, which combined with the fentanyl suggest the victim was first drugged before being decapitated. The wound around the neck is free of tearing, suggesting a very sharp blade consist with a guillotine or sword, although if one considers how long the victim was missing, a smaller instrument could also be used to slow separate the head from its body, although cutting through the spinal column would be difficult with a smaller instrument." Naruto read aloud as he scribbled notes on the chart, before turning around, to find a police officer standing silently behind him.

"Is there anything else you need to know detective?" Naruto said, laying the chart down as he strolled over to another body, which Percy had performed the autopsy on, checking it over for any inconsistencies.

"Not right now, but I might be back later so don't go anywhere." The detective said, turning on his heel and leaving, ignoring Naruto's chasing words.

"Sure thing detective, although if you'd bothered to ask, I could've told you this man was most likely killed after breaking and entering into someone's apartment to steal some valuables to hawk to buy his coke rocks." Naruto said with a sickly grin as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a golden chain with a small locket with the words, 'Emma Rose Swan' engraved into it. Whistling heartily, Naruto went back into his office, content to think of his future, and the coming storm.

**A/N: So guys, watcha thinking? I really like this chapter for some reason I can't explain, so I hope it makes you feel like I do. In other news, the flashback was originally planned to have Emma mention suicidal thoughts, but I actually had a friend who killed themselves in high school due to bullying so I decided not to broach the subject matter.**


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